


Three Body Problem

by Tamoline



Series: Three Body Problems [1]
Category: Carrie - Stephen King
Genre: Basically trigger warning: Billy, But is implied, Domestic Violence, Dubious Consent, Enemies to Lovers to Friends, F/F, Friends to Lovers, The dubious consent isn't particularly explicit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-11
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2021-01-28 23:23:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21400348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tamoline/pseuds/Tamoline
Summary: After being banned from Prom, Chris decides to yell at Carrie from Billy's car. This starts a chain of events which sends things spinning down a very different path.
Relationships: Susan Snell/Carrie White, Susan Snell/Chris Hargensen
Series: Three Body Problems [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1605547
Comments: 20
Kudos: 80
Collections: Femslash Exchange 2019





	Three Body Problem

**Author's Note:**

  * For [scioscribe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/scioscribe/gifts).

Chris was still fuming the afternoon after Daddy had told her that she wasn’t going to prom after all. He’d made up some nonsense about how it wasn’t worth the fight and she’d never even remember missing out once she got into Oberlin and all the bright lights that awaited her there. Just enough of a degree to interest all the bright young men who went there, not enough to intimidate them. Why, if she chose the right prospect, Daddy could get him a job at his law firm and, in due course, make him a name partner. And, though it was unstated, once she was the wife of such an important and rich man, she could -- if she so chose -- grind all the people who had irritated her back in high school under her heel. If she still remembered them.

Wouldn’t that be wonderful?

There was something deep and itching about Daddy’s plan for her, however well it set her up for what her mother’s life had been; and wasn’t that a thought. Queen of the country club, arbiter of status amongst the well to do circles of the town. All she’d have to do is wait, and be anointed Mummy’s chosen heir.

But she didn’t want to wait. She wanted power now, and that was why she was fooling around with Billy, for the thrill that winning the battle of wills always gave her, just because it was so uncertain. And that’s why she was so outraged that Carrie White, of all people, was her downfall. Who the hell would ever take that prig’s side? It wasn’t as though she didn’t deserve everything she got and worse.

It didn’t help that Billy wasn’t waiting for her to come out of school. He pulled up in his Chevrolet over five minutes late, when she’d had time to go over all the injustices heaped upon her head once more and had amassed a fair head of steam.

“What the hell do you think you’re leering at?” she snapped as she got into his car. “If you think you’re getting any tonight after leaving me hanging around school like a Snurd, you’ve got another think coming.”

That wiped the smile off his face quite satisfactorily, along with the rest of his expression in a way that always preluded a storm. For a moment, with a low thrill, she wondered if she’d pushed him too far, if he was going to try something here in the car park, in front of anyone walking past or waiting around.

But no, she thought as he slammed his car into gear and took off, he wasn’t that stupid. Never enough to push things that far when someone who he didn’t control might see. And winning the contest of wills, even in such a minor way, was enough to amplify the thrill into something slightly more heated. Not that she’d let him know in any way — holding the secret knowledge over him was far better than any satisfaction might be.

It was in that mood of fading anger and frustration mixed with the sweet thrill of a won power play that she saw Carrie walking home, like she was too good, too pious to deign to step in a car, and the thought of venting on her a little was too delicious to ignore. Even if the dumb cow did go complaining to Miss Desjardin, she could have witnesses aplenty swearing she was nowhere nearby at the time.

“Slow down,” she told Billy. ‘That’s the cow who got me banned from the prom.”

Billy smiled and, not for the first time since she’d started going with him, Chris shivered a little at his expression. “Want me to sort her?”

“Of course, but it’s going to have to be special,” she said, trying to deflect whatever was crawling through his mind that she wasn’t sure that she could control. “This is just an appetiser.” She wound down the window, and chanted, “Per-iod, per-iod, per-iod.” She managed to find a tampon inside her bag and threw it in Carrie’s general direction and was about to ask her if she was going to wipe her lipstick with it when the car was suddenly spinning around in circles, for all the world like someone in an invisible car had rammed the hood.

The spinning eventually came to a halt when the car connected with a streetlight, and Billy whimpered as though a favourite pet had just been hit by the car instead of what was probably a few dents and some scratched paint. He was out in a flash and examining the damage.

But Chris was fixated by the sight of Carrie across the road, who was staring at them with a very particular kind of smug satisfaction. For a moment, Chris tried to convince herself that it was just that Carrie saw the accident as a fit punishment for whatever sins she imagined that Billy and Chris had committed. But, no, as she nodded to herself and then turned away to continue going back home, Chris had to admit to herself that the smile Carrie had been wearing was that of craftsman seeing a job well done, or of an athlete that had just beaten a personal best.

Crazy as it sounded, Chris couldn’t shake the conviction that, through some unknown power, Carrie had caused the car to spin out all by herself.

* * *

The talk of the school today was Chris, and not in the usual way. She had a bruise on the side of her face that even caked on makeup was only able to partially hide. Some people said Billy had finally hit her in a way that couldn’t be covered up. Some said that it was her father. There was some suggestion that it was an accident of some kind, though the exact type varied with who was telling it.

Regardless of the cause, it certainly didn’t seem to have cowed Chris, who strode through the school in her customary style, head held high, ready to stare down anyone who looked at her sideways and make their lives a living hell, with a confidence that Sue could only envy. Normally, Sue would have done her best to ignore the gossip and carry on concentrating on the important things like continuing the preparations for prom, but there was one minor, insignificant fly in that particular ointment.

For whatever reason, Chris seemed to be paying especial attention to her today, and Sue had no idea why.

Did she think that Sue had something to do with whatever had happened to her? That was ridiculous, right? She was a good old fashioned get along girl, not the kind of person who got caught up in fights of any kind. And for similar reasons, she couldn’t imagine that Chris would be interested in trying to use her in some kind of revenge plot. She simply wouldn’t be capable of anything like that.

Still, the look couldn’t help but make her nervous.

She got her answer after school when Chris came up to her and linked an arm through hers as bold as you like. The bare faced attention from Chris, of all people, made something like nervousness or fear curl inside of her.

“Sue,” Chris said with a smile that Sue couldn’t help imagine would fit equally well on a shark. “We really haven’t seen enough of each other lately.”

Sue forbore from mentioning that they would have seen more if Chris hadn’t decided to skip several days of the detention that Miss Desjardn had assigned them for teasing poor Carrie White, but she certainly thought it with some force. Instead she smiled politely. “It’s probably because we don’t really run in the same circles.”

If anything, Chris’ smile sharpened. “Yes, and we all know what circles you’d like to run in.”

Confused, Sue tried to retrieve her arm but Chris just hung on tighter. “I’m not sure what you mean, but I am sure that I don’t want to be part of whatever game you’re playing.”

“That’s a pity,” Chris said with studied indifference. “I was really hoping that we could be friends. You see, I don’t rat on my friends and that would mean I wouldn’t have to mention to anyone how I’ve seen you looking at other girls’ breasts in the changing room. Not to mention avoiding doing the same, which is basically the same thing.”

Sue could feel herself pale. “That’s- that’s ridiculous,” she stammered, knowing that she was betraying herself, hating herself for it. Had Chris noticed her acting differently in the changing rooms with the other girls? She’d thought that she’d been so careful.. “No one would believe you. Everyone knows I’m going steady with Tommy.”

“Oh yes, and how are things going with dear Tommy?” Chris purred poisonously. “Going well, I hope. I’m sure he wouldn’t have any complaints about how you’ve been acting with him.”

“He loves me,” Sue said defiantly, with total conviction. But even then, the doubts wormed their way in. Would he mention if there was a problem, if she wasn’t doing everything she should be doing? She… He was a good guy, handsome and clever. She was so lucky to be going out with him. Everyone said so. And even if certain intimate activities hadn’t lived up to the hype, even if he was definitely more into her than she was into him, that didn’t mean anything, did it?

And even if Chris did spread this nasty, vicious, unwarranted rumour about her around, she had no doubt that he’d stick by her. But would she want him to? They might start staying things about him, completely untrue things, and…

“You don’t have to worry,” Chris said. “I wouldn’t want you to do anything that Saint Sue wouldn’t be comfortable with. That’d hardly be friendly now, would it? No, I already know this is something you feel strongly about.”

“What do you want me to do?” Sue said, resigned. Doubtless it’d be something cruel and she’d be able to say no in clean conscience and let the chips fall where they may.

“Oh, it’s nothing really. I just remember how cut up you were that poor Carrie White was so affected by the events in the locker room.”

“You mean the hell we put her through,” Sue said hotly, guiltily. “Not to mention all the times you and your hangers on have teased her just because she’s an easy target. If you think I’m going to be a part of that again…”

“No, quite the opposite,” Chris said, with all the sweetness and falsity of saccharine. “I want you to reach out, be her friend. Maybe even draw her out of her shell a little.”

“So, what, you can smash her down once she’s been raised up a little? No, I’m not going to be a part of that.”

Chris smile faded. “It’s either that or you can be Mortimer Snurds together, Sue. Maybe you can bond over that. No one ever forgets anything in this town. You know that as well as I do.”

Sue, to her shame, broke. “Fine. I’ll make friends with Carrie. I was thinking of doing so anyway, to try and help make up for our shoddy treatment of her. But I’m not going to help with whatever cruelty you’re planning.”

Chris smirked, victorious, releasing Sue’s arm and backing away. “Oh, Sue. You have me all wrong. I wish nothing but the best for our dear Carrie.”

Yeah, right, Sue thought, mutinous, before the enormity of what she’d promised to do washed over her. How would she even start?

* * *

The righteous vengeance that filled Carrie’s veins when she had sent Chris’ car spinning off the road had warmed her, made her feel satisfied until the next morning. She knew that Chris had known who was behind it even if she couldn’t prove it, that Chris had been scared by her, with a touch of something else that she didn’t recognise. And that Chris would take her revenge, like night followed day, or like the Lord would would punish the unfaithful for all eternity. She spent the entirety of the next day at school waiting for the hammer to drop, all the while comforted by the bruises, the marks of sin, littering Chris’ face.

But nothing happened that day, not that she could trace to Chris’ hand. There were still a few people who giggled as she walked past, their scornful eyes burning her flesh, but maybe less than even a usual day, before the incident. No one tried to trip her, or spill anything on her or barrage her with sound. It was just an ordinary quiet day, with students that seemed to have found something else to do, mostly concerned with the swiftly approaching prom, a gala of wickedness as Momma would say.

At least when she was watching them, anyway. The whole day had the feel of a trap, as though the entire school was just waiting for her to let her guard down for a moment, and then pounce with something so humiliating that… that… She couldn’t even imagine.

Eventually, the final bell rang, and her heart started pounding again as she wondered if this was it, if Chris was waiting for the time she’d been humiliated yesterday to take her revenge. The pipes rattled as she walked down the corridor towards the exit, a doleful warning as if the school itself was bemoaning her fate.

Nothing awaited her in the yard outside.

All the way back, she was waiting, head twisting around this way and that, to see if she could spot Chris and her boyfriend driving towards her, accelerating that car of his, determined to take revenge on her for denting it…

But nothing.

She scuttled into the bungalow, safe and home free. At least for the rest of the day.

The next day was more of the same. Carrie wasn’t sure whether it was better or worse that a traitorous hope had started to burn inside her, to whisper that maybe Chris hadn’t realised who was behind her crash, or maybe that Carrie had managed to instil in her the fear that Carrie had lived with for so long, wondering when the next blow was going to fall. She couldn’t help thinking that it was just going to hurt worse when her hope was shattered.

(Though maybe now she could make them pay, make them all pay.)

It wasn’t until she was shuffling out of the door, blinking reluctantly in the bright light of the yard, that she heard footsteps squeaking rapidly up the hall behind her.

It’s nothing to do with me, she told herself. It’s nothing to do with me.

“Carrie?” said the presence from behind her. It sounded soft, hesitant, a voice she recognised from class, but it was surely just a trap waiting for her to turn around, fall for the trick and have everyone laugh at her for believing that this time someone meant anything, anything at all kind.

Instead she hurried her pace up, started huffing her way towards the street and hopefully freedom from whatever this trap was, and behind her the doors slammed shut with a crash and some yells of pain.

(She wasn’t sorry, not in the slightest. She wasn’t.)

She was almost at the sidewalk before the voice spoke again, slightly out of breath this time.

“Carrie? I just wanted to apologise to you?” The voice was uncertain, still quiet as though it wasn’t sure that it wanted to be heard at all, with a trace of embarrassment running through it. “That is, if you want me to?”

It was that last that made her halt and turn around, the glittering lure of choice about how even one classmate might interact with her, that she could decide how the interaction over that red-plague circle drawn around her might unfold. Behind her, a trace of red on cheeks as she looked directly at Carrie, steadfastly not paying attention to anyone around them, was Sue Snell. Someone so high above Carrie that she couldn’t even imagine her paying attention to her.

Unless it was to laugh and shout at her, of course.

“I’m really sorry about the whole incident in the locker room,” Sue said. “I- I’d like to say that I didn’t know what I was thinking, that I was just caught up in the moment, but… I dunno. I don’t want to excuse how shitty I was to you.”

Carrie looked frantically around, but there didn’t appear to be anyone paying undue attention to them. She couldn’t see anyone sneaking up behind her, or any other angle behind why Sue might be saying this to her.

Not that Sue was one of the bad ones. The conversations that Carrie covetously listened to, trying to pretend that she was included in the circle of friends that were chatting amongst each other, seemed to indicate that she was considered a nice girl, a popular girl, who got along with pretty much everyone. But still, Carrie knew that didn’t extend to talking with people like her.

“Okay?” she said, hating the fact that even now she couldn’t help raising her voice at the end of the word, uncertain about this as Sue seemed to be.

“Okay,” Sue said, seemingly feeding upon the surety Carrie could feel slipping away from herself. “Is there any way I could make it up to you? Maybe I could take you out for an ice cream down Kelly’s?” She tilted her head, looking hopefully at Carrie. 

And, oh, this was going a way that Carrie could never have expected. One part of her wanted to shout no at Sue, yell about how maybe Sue should have offered this years ago instead of at best ignoring what the other kids had done to her, more probably smirking about it with her friends.

But the other part, oh the other part, wanted to take her up on that offer, to be initiated into the circles of high school friendship which had been denied to her for so long, to maybe chat and laugh with another girl elegantly or even with abandon the way she’d seen the other girls do.

The two parts of her, completely unrelated to fear and the unseen muscles she had been training, warred within her, and to her humiliation, the war leaked out of her eyes. A couple of girls walking by, glanced at her then snickered between themselves, and Carrie felt the confusion transmute itself within her to something more like anger.

“Oh,” Sue said, eyes wide, one hand fishing inside her purse. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to, of course.” She waved a neat white handkerchief, embroidered with flowers and a neat SS in one corner in Carrie’s direction, who took it numbly. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think… It really wasn’t because I thought…” she gestured helplessly at Carrie.

It took a moment for Carrie to understand. Sue had offered to take Carrie for ice cream because Carrie was fat, had thought it’d be an easy way to buy Carrie off for… for whatever reason she wanted to buy Carrie’s favour. All embarrassment disappeared within an almost volcanic burst of rage.

“I’m not going to be tricked again by people like you,” she snapped, before turning away and heading off, trying to make her footsteps less like stomps and more like dignified strides. She got about twenty feet before she stopped, turned away once again and stared hard at Sue Snell, who was standing there, staring after her like she couldn’t imagine someone like Carrie White walking away from her like that. “People like you don’t see me, but I see you. I see you,” she snapped, glowering hard at Sue.

There was a moment of dizziness, and suddenly she could feel Sue’s befuddlement, her upset, her shame and underlying it all, a deep current of fear, all like it was almost her own. Sue stumbled as well, as though she was feeling the same dizziness as her.

Good, she thought, before continuing home. Good. Maybe Sue Snell would get to feel those things for once.

It wasn’t until she was all the way home, taking her shoes off to neatly put away, that she realised that she still had Sue’s handkerchief, clutched in her hand.

* * *

Chris pounced upon Sue the next day, waiting for her outside the entrance, linking her arm through Sue’s as soon as she stepped close enough. There was a power in doing this, in the way that Sue, little Miss Goody Two Shoes herself, followed her dumbly, that twisted pleasurably in Chris’ guts.

“So?” Chris asked her as soon as they were outside the view of the general populace of the school, halfway between the normal world of the front of the school and the depths of the hidden parts of the outside, where the bad kids hung out, the sharp bite of cigarette smoke just about tickling at her nostrils.

Sue looked dumb and dumbfounded, a highly unattractive expression on her face that Chris couldn’t help sneering at, didn’t really try to stop really, her hand itching a little to wipe it off her face. No, she told herself, Sue might be a stupid little biddable bitch, but she didn’t deserve to be hit.

Who did, really? Apart from Billy, and he certainly gave as good as he got.

“How did your playdate with Carrie go?” she prompted, when it was clear that she wasn’t going to get a clear response from Sue. “You best of buddies yet?”

Sue startled as if shot, then shook her head. “I’m still trying to get to know her.” She cut Chris a look which — good, actually. Nice to see that she had a bit of spirit to her. “You really think after all the abuse you’ve heaped on her, she’s just going to trust the first person to come up to her?”

Chris leaned closer so she could stare her directly in the face, close enough that Sue would be able to feel the breath from Chris’ mouth on her face. “I don’t really care, Nice Nelly. That’s not my job. Your mission, assuming you don’t want the school to know what gets your panties all nice and damp, is to befriend her, make her trust you.”

Sue swallowed, her eyes dilating slightly as they flickered down towards Chris’ mouth then back up again. That pleasurable twist in Chris’ guts sharpened, like it did when she got up in Billy’s business, bent him to her will. She had been right, completely right, about little Miss Prim and Proper, and — better — it seemed like Chris got her panties wet.

For a moment she was tempted to reach forward, grab her hair and tug it hard, see how Sue would respond to that, see how much Snell could manage after that, but no. Not now, when she had another use completely for Sue, and certainly not here, where anyone could see her.

“I’m not giving up,” Sue whispered before pulling away, looking like it almost pained her to do so. She gave Chris a defiant look. “I’m still not going to help you trick her, though, no matter what lies you spread about me.”

Lies, Chris thought, amused. She let that show in the twist of her mouth and Sue flinched. “Still not going to involve you in anything like that, don’t worry,” is what she said. “But I can’t say that I’m exactly the patient type, Ms Snell. So time’s aticking, and you better get results soon.”

She couldn’t help but be pleased by the way that Sue whirled away from her and marched off towards the school, back held high, trying oh so hard to show how unafraid of Chris she was.

* * *

It wasn’t until Friday that Sue felt ready to confront Carrie again. Not it was easy to wait that long, not with Chris giving her a sharp edged smile every day at school, every so often making a tick-tock motion with one finger.

Sue tried to forget how she’d felt with Chris staring at her like that behind the school and concentrated on the problem at hand.

She needed a better approach, and her previous fumble made her flush with embarrassment every time she thought about it, She hadn’t been consciously thinking about Carrie’s size when she’d made the ice cream offer, but she couldn’t deny that it might have played a part, no matter how Sue herself liked to treat herself to ice cream once every few weeks or so.

And maybe Carrie had sensed Sue’s own discomfort with the situation, not only at Chris’ blackmail, but also at the thought of approaching Carrie in public like that, where anyone might see. Like a Popular girl would never do.

Carrie had been right. She did deserve a better apology than what Sue had offered up, a quick thoughtless thing rather than anything tailored to what Carrie might want. The only problem was finding out what that may be. Asking Carrie herself was out, and no one at school really seemed to have an idea about what she might like more than Sue herself. And just asking made her prickle with embarrassment as every time she asked, she could see the people around her wonder why she was asking, what such a Good Girl as Sue was up to.

Of all places, she really wasn’t expecting to find an answer at home, from her mother on Thursday evening.

“Margaret White’s kid, Carrie?” her mother said when Sue was letting out some of her (edited) frustration at her lack of success whilst helping prepare the table for dinner. “She’s a decent seamstress. Some of the less well-off women I know have had dresses made by her, and you could hardly tell they weren’t made by Mr Innis or the like. Maybe there’s a way you can help her with that.”

Maybe indeed. Sue’s mind raced, hardly tasting her dinner as she picked at it, before going up to bed and staring at the wall.

Maybe there was a way to approach Carrie after all.

She didn’t share a period with Carrie until third. Carrie didn’t arrive until just before Mrs Allard did, leaving no time to approach her then. Sue found it almost impossible to concentrate on the lesson, copying what was scrawled on the blackboard blindly, hoping that she wouldn’t be called upon to answer a question, because she had no idea how she’d organise her thoughts enough to answer. Finally, the bell rang and she shot to her feet and over to Carrie’s desk in a shot.

“Hi, Carrie,” she said, not waiting for an answer before continuing, not wanting to stop just in case she didn’t manage to continue. “You know how prom is coming up? I’ve heard that you’re a good dressmaker, and I need something really special to wear for Tommy, and I was hoping that you could make something for me. That is if you’re not too busy, but I totally understand if you don’t accept or you’re not interested in taking a commission from me.”

Carrie looked up at her, her expression blank for long seconds. Sue could feel the back of her neck heat up as she heard her classmates whisper about her nervous deluge of words, wonder if there was a problem with her father’s job or finances that she needed to beg a dress from Carrie White of all people. As the silence dragged on, she cursed herself for barging over to Carrie like this, humiliating herself in front of everyone. Carrie was going to reject her, and she couldn’t help worrying that her status as Popular would take a hit that it’d never recover from.

It was one thing to apologise to Carrie — sure, some of the mean kids might roll their eyes and laugh about it with their friends — but her general reputation as a get-along girl would easily absorb the hit and cover for it. But this? Begging Carrie for a favour and being turned down?

Still, better that than what Chris had threatened her with, she couldn’t help thinking, with a deep chill running through her veins. Almost anything was better than that rumour being loosed into the world, beyond the ability of anyone to call it back.

“Okay,” Carrie finally said, nodding, at first hesitantly then more definitively. “I can sew something for you before next Friday.” She gnawed at her lip, cracked with bits of skin peeling off. “What colour and style do you want?”

Sue blanked. She had no idea what kind of dresses Carrie would be able to make for her. She had a nice dress already waiting for her in a wardrobe at home, but… “Talk about it after school?” she offered. “I’ll wait for you by the entrance, and we can go to my house. Or yours, wherever you’d feel most comfortable,” she added a little desperately.

Carrie was getting to her feet, then paused, suddenly ill at ease again. “Your house,” she said definitely, and Sue thought about half-remembered stories about Carrie’s mother. What would be waiting at Carrie’s house? Crosses on every wall? Would her mother try and exorcise her as soon as Sue stepped through the door?

“Okay,” she said. “Sure. My house.”

* * *

There was something magical about approaching Sue’s house, padding after her. It wasn’t the first of her clients’ houses Carrie had visited, often having had to walk the entire way herself, but those women had all been much older than herself, in their mid twenties at the least.

No one her own age would ever think to ask Carrie for anything, no matter how pathetically she might wish otherwise.

Until Sue.

Carrie still couldn’t help suspect a trap, no matter how smoothly things seemed to be going, but the existence of a clear exchange made her feel calmer. Sue wanted something from her — something having obviously happened to her previous dress — and so she’d be civil to Carrie for at least a week. Let Carrie be close to her, maybe even indulge in small talk a bit.

It was the closest that Carrie was ever going to have to acceptance, she was dolefully sure of that, and she was going to make the most of it.

“Come on,” Sue said after ushering her inside. “Let’s go up to my room.”

It was as soft and perfect as Carrie might have imagined, pale pastel covers set off by pillows so pink that Carrie’s mother would have burned them before letting them in the house. A wardrobe had a full length mirror attached to the door — vanity and envy, she couldn’t help hearing in her mother’s voice — reflecting the room in reverse. Carrie couldn’t help wondering what that’d be like — to not only be allowed to have such a mirror in your room, but to be comfortable enough with yourself and your appearance that it’d be more of a boon than eternal reminder of your imperfections.

Maybe it was simple if you looked like Sue Snell, with her powdered, perfect skin, the long lines of her neck, the slender slimness of her waist. Carrie wanted with a sharpness that almost surprised her, that made her want to hide just in case Momma was around, somehow impossibly listening into her thoughts.

“Are you alright?” Sue said, tugging at her skirt with one hand, breaking into her thoughts. “We can do this somewhere else if you’d prefer.”

Carrie shook her head, trying to clear Momma and her voice out of it. “No,” she said. “Here is fine.” She was suddenly embarrassed. No wonder none of the kids at school wanted to talk with her, when she was such a freak.

“Hey,” Sue said, reaching forward to touch her on the wrist. “I just wanted to make sure that you were comfortable. I know… It’s fine if you’d prefer to do this somewhere else.” She looked down at her hand as if realising where it was and pulled it back, flushing a little.

Something about Sue’s manner made Carrie relax, just a little, however unwise that was, and she shrugged. “I’ve never done this before. It’s still a little hard to believe it’s happening.”

Sue smiled, her mouth quivering slightly. “It’s alright to be nervous. Lord knows that I am.”

Carrie stared at her. “You? What have you got to be nervous about?”

Sue’s expression froze and she gave a sharp laugh. “Oh, I think you’d be surprised. Not that you need to worry about any of that,” she quickly added. “Stupid stuff, school stuff.”

Not that school stuff couldn’t be the most important thing in the world, Carrie thought. But Sue obviously didn’t want to share whatever it was with her, and Carrie couldn’t bring herself to disturb whatever this was by pushing it. Maybe it wasn’t even tentative friendship, but it was something, more than she could remember having for more than an instant with any of the kids at school, and she was determined to hang on to it for as long as possible.

She hunched her shoulders a little and ducked her head, fishing inside her bag where she’d stowed the tape measure on the flying visit home after school. “Lift your arms,” she muttered, hardly daring to look up at Sue’s face for fear of spoiling the illusion that she was here as anything other than an emergency measure for a popular girl.

But Carrie couldn’t help flinching away when Sue placed a hand on her arm when she went to measure her. When she looked up, to her surprise, Sue was looking distressed, her bottom lip rumpled a little as if she had been chewing it. “I’m sorry,” Sue said. “I’m really sorry that I did what I did in the changing room. I’m sorry that I didn’t step in all the many times the other kids tormented you. And I know that words are just words, that they don’t mean anything really, but I will try to be better to you from now on. If you want me to.”

Carrie lowered her head, unable to look at her further. This was… It was too cruel, to give her this hope that Sue might be different now, that she might be willing to reach out in friendship at this point, after everything that had happened, after all the years of misery. She’s just trying to get a better price out of you, she told herself. Trying to save her money for manicures and soda and makeup, no doubt. It didn’t matter. None of this was real. None of this was going to last.

But she still couldn’t help the traitorous flame of hope that bloomed to life inside her chest.

* * *

“I know not going to prom has been a huge disappointment,” Daddy said, “But I’m really impressed with how maturely you’ve handled this. Eyes on the prize, we don’t need any trouble” --any more trouble, Chris correctly translated-- “clouding your chances with Oberlin.”

College, college, college, always Daddy’s plan to get her to marry someone just like him, to have a home and a life with the Hargenson stamp of approval, without a hint of nonconformity. There had been times over the last week that she’d just wanted to scream at him, that there was more to the world than he’d even dreamed of, that there were kinds of power that would leave him pale and shaking and speechless.

Daddy being left speechless. Now there was a thought. But not one for now. For the moment she needed something else from him to appease the other man in her life. “Thanks, Daddy,” she said, smiling sweetly. “Now, you did mention something about making sure that I had a good time regardless..?”

She watched the great Hargenson brow crinkle in displeasure and hid a smirk. Daddy didn’t like being reminded of Billy at the best of times, and he’d taken to muttering ominously ever since ‘that oaf’ had crashed his car and hurt his precious daughter. Sometimes, the effect that Billy had on her father was the best thing about him. Though he definitely did have his other uses as well. 

She widened her eyes, affected a pleading look, and watched her father crumple.

“Fine,” he said, reaching inside his pocket and fishing his wallet out, counting out some fresh, crisp bills before handing them to Chris. “Just make sure that he doesn’t drink and get you into any more crashes. He so much as puts a bruise on you, and I’ll sue him for all he’s worth, taking the ridiculous car first.”

“I will,” she said, practically dancing out of the door, not even waiting for Daddy to tell her to take care of her own dinner again and that he’d see her tomorrow. Billy wasn’t here yet — she generally liked to get here a little in advance because he got so grumpy if she left him here for more than a minute or so. Not that she was exactly opposed to making him wait for her, especially not if she was looking to turn his crank a little, but... 

Demonstrating her power over him like that without pushing him too far was a complex dance at the best of times and quite honestly she neither had the attention nor the patience for it this morning. Not when she was far more interested in getting to school and squeezing Sue to find out all she’d learned over the weekend. The rumours were already all over the school that Sue had left with that Snurd Carrie, and the theories had flown thick and fast. Not that Chris particularly cared about that, but there was a certain amount of enjoyment about besmirching St Sue’s perfect reputation like that.

As well as a warning. Chris was absolutely not going to approach Carrie until she was certain the rewards outweighed the risks.

But the potential tantalised her. Maybe that stupid sow could teach her how to do what she did. Even if not, maybe she could be used, as obviously desperate as Carrie was for any kind of validation.

Caught up in her plans, she didn’t even notice that Billy had pulled up to the drive before he impatiently honked the horn. Behind the wheel, his face was twisted and ugly.

Oops.

She opened the car door and slid in beside him. Before she could so much as close the door behind her, he’d clamped one hand around her arm so hard that she just knew it was leaving a red mark underneath her sleeves.

“What the fuck, Chris?” he snarled and normally the threat of violence would be enough to send something dark and ugly and hungry through her veins, but this morning she was just tired of the constant push and pull, the balancing act, and wanted it to be over so she could be at school.

Looking at his face, the way that he was gripping the wheel in one hand so tightly his knuckles were pure white, she knew that he’d never just accept that. She forced a sexy smirk on her face. “Sorry, babe. Just caught up thinking about some things I’d like to do to you if we have time to swing by The Cavalier before school.”

There was a look of triumph in his piggish eyes at her easy capitulation, and there was a part of her that rebelled at the thought of giving in so easily, that knew he’d colonise the ground she had afforded him in this battle, push her to wave the white flag earlier next time. But he released her arm, opened his hand. “Managed to get your old man to pay for repairs to my Chevy yet?”

She thought briefly about flatly refusing him after what he’d done to her, but inspiration struck. “Maybe,” she said coyly. “And maybe I was thinking about seeing if you earn it at The Cavalier first.”

He was back to glowering at her, but with less of an edge of violence this time, more of a hint of the thing that had attracted her in the first place; the promise of violence rather than the threat. He twisted the side of his mouth cockily. “That’s not the way this works, babe,” he said, but didn’t press the issue until after they’d had quick, messy sex in one of the back rooms. Disappointingly, it hadn’t been great — she’d only just managed to squeeze out an orgasm — and the feeling of being dirty, of Daddy’s little angel being defiled, didn’t feel as good as usual.

Maybe it was time to think about moving on, though exactly how she hadn’t figured out yet. Billy wasn’t the type to be left, only to leave, and she still had to last out the rest of the year here.

At least he wasn’t the type to talk as he tore across town, delivering her to school disappointedly close to first bell.

It seemed she’d have to wait to find out how Sue had managed to do over the weekend. And if she’d need a little more motivation.

* * *

Sue hummed to herself as she approached school Monday morning. Carrie had been surprisingly easy to talk to Friday evening and it had been… nice to be able to just relax with someone without worrying about them judging her. There hadn’t been any pressure to agree with whatever Carrie said, or even to talk overly much at all. Carrie was surprisingly pretty once she relaxed enough to smile and the sensation of all that attention being directed solely at Sue, as Carrie had measured her and offered up thoughts about designs and colours that might flatter her best…

It had felt like a warm sunrise rising inside of her, something she couldn’t help leaning towards.

She waited impatiently for second period and the first chance she’d get to see Carrie. When she saw her shuffling in, eyes to the floor, hunched in so as to occupy as little space as possible, without even a glance towards Sue, she felt a flame of… of something igniting within her. Carrie was so pretty, had the potential to be so amazing, if only everyone around her allowed her to be. She marched over to Carrie and took her arm in her own.

“Morning, Carrie,” she said loudly, ignoring the way that Carrie stiffened beside her. “How was your weekend?” She did her best to ignore the way that conversation had stopped all around the class, the way that she was sure that everyone was looking at her, judging her for being so friendly with Carrie White. They didn’t matter, only Carrie did. And Carrie was looking at her with wide eyes, the beginning of hope dawning in them. “Thanks for coming around after school on Friday. Maybe we could meet up again some time this week?”

For a moment Carrie just stared at her, before nodding her head. A little at first and then more vigorously. “Ohuh, yeah. That’d be great.” She looked a little panicked. “As long as I’m not out too late. My Momma wouldn’t like that, not one bit.”

“That’s fine,” Sue said, smiling at her and guiding her towards her seat. “Would you mind if I sat next to you this period? Just for a change.”

“No,” Carrie said, a slow smile spreading across her face, looking like she was alive in school for the first time that Sue could remember. “I’d like that a lot.”

There were, of course, people who were not fans of this plan. “What the hell?” Sarah, her usual seating partner hissed. “Are you really going to stand me up for Carrie White of all people?”

“Sorry,” Sue said, though she couldn’t manage much of the way of sincerity. Sarah had been a good friend in middle school, but they’d drifted apart and now they talked more out of inertia than anything else.

“I hope you’ve got a really good excuse for this,” Sarah muttered. “And what was that about her coming around last Friday?” A look of actual hurt crossed her face. “I can’t even remember the last time you invited me over.”

Sue felt a stab of actual regret. Maybe the split hadn’t been entirely mutual. She hoped that she hadn’t just cut Sarah out of her life to make space for Tommy. She didn’t like to think she was that kind of girl, but… “Maybe this week some time?”

“I dunno,” Sarah said but her shoulders softened. “Maybe tomorrow?”

“It’s a date.”

“Good luck with Carrie then,” Sarah said, looking over dubiously over in her direction. “And, y’know, everyone else.”

As she walked back over to Carrie, someone shouted “Are you converting to the Church of White or something?” to general titters. She tried to ignore them as best as she could, her face red, but the effect on Carrie was even worse. Face beetroot, huddled into her desk as though she could disappear, all the effects of Sue’s greeting gone as if they’d never been there in the first place. Up above, there was a sharp pop and the class darkened as the bulb blew. As Sue prepared to sit down next to her, Carrie muttered something.

“What was that?” Sue asked.

“You can go sit next to your actual friend if you want.”

Sue softened, and sat down firmly next to her. “I’m right where I want to be, thank you very much.” She might never be the same again in the eyes of her friends, but it was worth it, she told herself. It was worth it. She reached into her bag, got out a tin and slid it across the table to Carrie. “And I completely forgot to give you your present.” She held her breath as Carrie opened it to reveal shortbread and relaxed as Carrie shyly picked a piece up and nibbled a corner before putting it back down again. “I baked it last night for you, as a thank you. I hope you don’t mind.”

Carrie’s hand darted towards her before flinching back, as if uncertain if she was allowed even such a minor gesture. Sue took Carrie’s hand and held tightly in her own.

“Thank you,” Carrie said fiercely, treating her to another of those luminous smiles that Sue couldn’t help but feel a little unworthy of.

And, maybe, yes, this had been worth it after all. Maybe it was something that Sue should have done a long time ago.

More of the cost didn’t come due until lunchtime, when Sue walked into the canteen with Carrie, after making her promise to meet her there. Again, the susurrus of commentary that she couldn’t help but feel was about her, but her eyes focussed on Chris and her group of hangers on. Chris’ mouth curved in triumph, her eyes mocking, before she turned quite deliberately back to her friends. “Ignore the sad sight of the depths that Sue Snell has fallen to. We’ve got better things to talk about.”

From the disappointed looks on their faces, and the knowledge about how mean they could be, Chris had done her quite the favour by not relegating her to Mortimer Snurd status immediately. But she couldn’t forget that she was in this position in the first place — no matter her distinctly mixed feelings on the subject — because of Chris. And she couldn’t forget exactly what Chris had accused her of, exactly what Chris was thinking at the moment. That Sue was being a little too friendly towards Carrie; that she didn’t have the purest feelings towards her.

And a part of Sue, going over all that Carrie had made her think and feel since she’d gotten to know her, couldn’t help but worry that she was right. And hate Chris for that fact.

* * *

Life was so good that Carrie was afraid to pinch herself just in case it was all a dream. First of all, someone had finally paid attention to her in a good way, and it was Sue Snell of all people who risked the slings and arrows of their classmates to sit next to her, who complimented her, made her feel even a little normal for the first time since she’d started attending school. And secondly, it wasn’t just that, but Sue also wanted her to make a dress for her, agreed to let Carrie measure her, position her, seemed happy to let Carrie come up with ideas and dreams about what might suit her best. Carrie had had Sue dancing through her mind all weekend, accompanying her to John’s in Westover on Saturday, where she paid for the heavy, crumpled velvet she had decided on with the crumpled bills that Sue had passed her on Friday and all the way back home to her sewing area, where she drew and cut and sewed the lines that would cling to Sue’s curves and…

In the recesses of her mind, Carrie had to admit that a part of her wanted to be the one wearing this dress, dancing elegantly in front of everyone at the prom, to have people look at her and realise how pretty she was. But she also wanted Sue to be wearing the dress, wearing a piece of Carrie in a way.

Carrie wasn’t too sure what she wanted, except that she did, and sharply so.

As she worked diligently on the dress, she also practised her other talent as well. The chairs lifted themselves up and down, then twirled and danced with each other as though they too were attending prom. The giant plaster crucifix accompanied by all the smaller crosses lifted itself up and turned around so that Jesus wouldn’t have see Carrie working with a shade of red that was surely all kinds of sinful.

Carrie had an even better reason for honing her talent now. Not only did she have herself to protect, but now she could stand like an angel with a sword in front of Sue, protecting her from any who might harm her and come down like the wrath of god on those who would offend her.

For the first time in her life, Carrie had a friend, and she was going to let nothing, absolutely nothing happen to her.

* * *

“Wha-wha-what’s that, Smithy?” Chris jeered pointing towards his nose, still with a trace of dried blood beneath it. Tina, Rachel and Fern joined in with her, albeit unenthusiastically. Donna and Helen didn’t even bother with that, and Chris whirled on them furiously. “What?” she demanded. “I’m sorry, is this not interesting enough for you?”

To her horror, Helen didn’t seem threatened in any way. Not even apologetic. “A little, yeah,” she said bluntly as a scramble from behind announced that Smithy had taken the opportunity to disappear. “For god’s sake, why are we bothering with S-S-Smithy when Sue Snell has made herself such an inviting target?”

“Yeah,” Fern chipped in. “I mean, if the former golden girl has fallen low enough that Smithy feels brave enough to stammer a few insults her way, what the hell are we waiting for?”

Because who knows what Carrie might do to you, you stupid cows, Chris couldn’t help thinking. There had been a whole rash of accidents happening to people who had been too free with jibes. Like the aforementioned Smithy. Chris couldn’t prove that Carrie had been present for all of them, but Chris had witnessed a few that she had for herself.

Not to mention that she absolutely did not want Carrie having any reminders about what Chris had been like to her just at the moment. The way she was drifting along in a happy haze -- apart from when she was glowering at anyone who came close to Sue -- gave some hope that Carrie might just let bygones be bygones, if she was approached in the right way.

But she couldn’t say that, or anything like it to them. They’d think she’d gone soft and, well, she only had to look at Sue, and all the rumours that had already spread about her, about what Carrie must have on her, to see how that would go. Only worse, because being nice was at least on brand for Little Miss Perfect, and some of her friends had stuck with her.

Chris had no illusions that the same would be true for her.

So instead she affected a cocky pose and a smirk. “Oh, I’ve got my own plans for Saint Snell. But they need a bit of time to cook properly.”

”Oh?” The others leaned in.

“And Sue getting absolutely no warning. Which means the rest of you losers will just have to wait a bit for details, saving us all from another Haight incident.”

Tina and Donna whirled on each other at the reminder, already trying to blame each other yet again for that particular disaster, and Chris stifled a sigh of relief. Her position was never so secure as when her underlings turned on each other.

Somehow, she’d kept Carrie and Sue, the It couple of the local rumour mill, safe for a week from her clique at least. Sue, for one, had better appreciate Chris’ efforts on her behalf. Hopefully something else would come along in short order to distract them, or she was going to have to actually produce a plan. 

Maybe something would happen at prom tonight.

Oh yes, prom. She groaned internally as she remembered. If only Billy was as distractible as her friends had been. 

If only he hadn’t gotten it into his head that her being banned from prom was a personal slight to him.

* * *

“What do you think?” Carrie asked, her eyes wide and trusting as she and Sue looked into the mirror.

“It’s beautiful,” Sue said honestly. Maybe not quite as professional as the one hanging in her wardrobe, but it had been made by Carrie and that made all the difference as far as Sue was concerned.

She wondered vaguely about how to bring up the hand Carrie had left on the small of her back, but then immediately second guessed herself. Would she be worrying about it if any of her old girl friends had done that? Would she have worried about it at all before Chris had planted those poisonous thoughts in her head?

She honestly couldn’t remember.

Thankfully, Carrie resolved the dilemma by finally lowering her hand. Sue couldn’t help missing it immediately.

Tommy, she reminded herself. She was dressed up for Tommy to take her to the prom. Tommy, who loved her. Tommy who she definitely… felt affection for?

She didn’t know what she felt, about Tommy, about Carrie. Not even really about Chris, who stirred up a confusing mix of emotions every time she looked at her with those knowing eyes that seemed able to look straight through her; who seemed to know Sue better than Sue knew herself.

Sue’s whirling thoughts were interrupted by a knocking from downstairs. “Oh, that must be Tommy,” she said gratefully, and hurried down to meet him, Carrie padding after her.

As soon as she opened the door he beamed at her, looking handsome and dapper in his white jacket and black trousers, and Sue immediately felt her confusion subside. Of course Tommy was the person who was supposed to make her heart patter. How could she think otherwise?

“Aren’t I lucky to be going to the prom with the prettiest girl in town?” he said.

The door slammed in his face, hard enough that Sue had to duck out of the way of the bounce. She couldn’t help staring at it, dumbstruck. It had felt like it had been torn out of her grasp by impossibly strong hands. She felt a chill running down her spine, a chill that she’d been trying to ignore all week regarding those ‘accidents’ that kept on happening around her.

“Sorry,” Carrie said from behind her, sounding wretched, sounding apologetic, sounding as if she had had something to do with the door almost hitting her. Sue almost turned around to look at her, to try and confirm… what exactly?

Certainly nothing she needed to know about on prom night, she decided firmly.

Tommy had recovered from his own shock to give her an uncertain smile. “I didn’t think my line was that bad,” he said, then focussed behind her. “I see. My mistake. Am I going to have the honour of escorting the two most beautiful girls in town tonight?”

Sue turned around now, needing to see how Carrie reacted to his words. She could be touchy — and rightfully so — and if necessary, Sue absolutely needed to reassure her, let her know that Tommy meant no harm.

Carrie was staring at the ground, blushing. “You don’t need to say such things to me. I know they’re not true,” she said, and something within Sue twisted.

She told herself it was just concern as she approached her and lifted her chin up with one hand, glorying in the fact that in such a short time, Carrie had learned that she didn’t need to flinch at Sue’s touch. “You are beautiful,” she insisted, never meaning it as much as when she was staring into Carrie’s luminous eyes, seeing the shy, pleased smile that had begun to break across her face. “Never doubt it,” she said before dropping her hand.

“It’s hard to disbelieve when you look at me like that,” Carrie said softly.

They just stared at each other for a moment until Tommy cleared his throat. “Sorry to break this up,” he said. “But, um, we have a dance to get to?”

Sue nodded once. “Yes, of course. So, Carrie, do you want to come?”

Carrie, obviously tempted, stared at her for a second before pursing her lips and shaking her head. “I don’t have a ticket.”

Tommy came up beside Sue and slung an arm across her shoulder. “Well, I know it’d be a dreadful abuse of authority, but I happen to know a member of the Prom Committee who would be able to smuggle you in.”

Carrie gestured down at herself. “I don’t have a dress.”

A bigger problem. “Not even at home?” Sue said.

“Nothing I’d want to wear to prom.” Carrie bit her lip. “And I’d hate to ruin your night by turning up with you looking like this.”

Sue spared a moment’s hate for the people — including herself — who for so long had made Carrie feel like she wasn’t enough. She touched Carrie’s hand briefly before relaxing into Tommy. “Well, look after yourself, you hear? And I’ll be around to tell you how much everyone loved your dress.”

Carrie nodded. “I’ll wait up for you. Now I’d better go before Momma starts to worry. She’d bust a fit if she knew that I was hanging around a boy out of school. Tell me it’d lead to sin and damnation.”

“Well, we wouldn’t want that now, would we?” Tommy said attempting to lighten the mood. Carrie nodded and scurried past them out the door.

“She’s not someone I would’ve thought you’d be palling around with a couple of weeks ago,” Tommy said once they were in the car.

“And I consider the me of a couple of weeks ago blind and shallow for not seeing what I was missing out on,” she said sharply.

Tommy held up one hand in surrender. “I wasn’t saying that it was a bad thing. Just a little unexpected. But it’s clear to see the girl thinks the world of you. It’s a good thing you’re doing.”

“What makes you think that she isn’t the one doing me a favour?” she asked bitterly. Carrie was somehow miraculously unscarred by the scorn and isolation she’d suffered all through school; was far too good a person to hold on what Sue had helped do to her. In all honesty, she was far too good for Sue. The worst part was the black feeling of hypocrisy, the way that without Chris’ blackmail, for all her pious mouthings she’d have never thought to approach Carrie, even after the locker room incident.

Suddenly she wished that Carrie was here with Tommy instead of her. She deserved this night of dancing and dreams so much more than Sue did.

She was still feeling out of sorts by the time Tommy was parking his car in the lot, but she tried her best to give him a genuine smile. It wasn’t his fault that she was mired within herself tonight, and he deserved better from her.

“Your ball, milady,” he said as he opened her door, offering her his hand.

“You’re so corny,” she said, and the smile felt easier now.

“You know it,” he said.

“Hey,” came a voice out of the darkness of the lot and Sue’s heart dropped as she recognised it.

Chris.

“Give me a minute,” she said to Tommy, who raised a quizzical eyebrow. “Girl stuff,” she said by way of explanation. “I’ll meet you over by the entrance.”

He sketched a bow, and disappeared off in that direction. Sue turned to glower at the figure materialising ghostlike into the illumination cast by the streetlights. “What do you want?”

Chris gave her a darkling smile. “What makes you think I want anything?” Sue couldn’t help but notice that Chris’ dress was uncharacteristically covered in dust.

“Why would you be here otherwise? You’ve been banned from prom.”

Chris’ smile dimmed momentarily before returning larger, harder. “Maybe I just wanted to see the glorious Sue Snell before she attended prom.” She reached forward, brushing hair away from the side of Sue’s face. Sue couldn’t help trembling, and cursed her traitorous heart for skipping in a way it refused to do for Tommy. “Maybe I wanted to wish you well. And maybe I wanted to warn you to be standing next to the exit when the coronation happens.”

“That might be hard if I’m up on stage.”

Chris smile turned pitying. “Really, Sue? You think you’re going to be up there? Maybe if it was a week ago, but now?”

And whose fault is that? Sue wanted to ask. But she didn’t, couldn’t. Not unless she wanted to take back Carrie, and she wouldn’t. So instead she narrowed her eyes. “Why? What are you planning?”

“Me? Nothing,” Chris said, giving what was supposed to be a careless shrug, but for just a moment her facade wavered, exposing a tiredness, a slight vulnerability that she’d never seen before in the other girl. “Just that — if you really want to be a hero — make sure that you leave by the fire exit, then turn left, left and through the first door on the right. Just… don’t tell anyone who told you this. Please.” Her smile returned, as jaunty as ever. “I’ll deny everything if you do. And I wouldn’t follow my instructions before the coronation. You might not like what you’d find. And it’d be a shame to waste all that effort I’ve invested in you, getting close to Carrie like that.” Chris gave a wave and faded back into the darkness, like she’d never been, leaving Sue staring after her.

She was half tempted to go after her, demand to know what she’d meant, but dismissed the idea. Chris wouldn’t tell her anything she didn’t want to, and Sue had a fairly good idea she’d reached that limit for the evening. She could tell a teacher — but what? Betray Chris’ trust? She… found that she was unwilling to do that, no matter what Chris might have done. And without that, was there any chance of her being believed? She guessed that she could try to investigate herself, but she was no Nancy Drew and she believed Chris’ warning.

She’d just have to wait and see how things played out.

Tommy was waiting by the entrance, chatting with some other guys. He looked around as she approached and his face lit up. “This is my girl,” he said, as proud as could be. “I’ll catch the rest of you later.” As they went in, he whispered, “So, what did she want?”

“Nothing really,” Sue said. I hope, she thought.

The dancing helped her get mostly out of her head, concentrating on action, reaction, the feel of Tommy’s arms around her, the solidity of his chest. But every so often, her mind would drift to the dress Carrie had crafted for her, the way it hugged her, the way she could almost imagine that it was Carrie whispering against her body. And alas towards Chris, outside in the darkness, bitter but seemingly also scared beneath her tough exterior. For a while, she fought against such intrusive thoughts, but then she let them carry her away, let herself dance with all three of them, and everything seemed so much simpler.

For a while.

But then ten o’clock rolled around and, bearing Chris’ warning in mind, she led Tommy over to the fire exit.

“You’re not worried that they’re going to crown you?” Tommy asked, half joking, half serious.

She shook her head, smiled at him a little sadly. “Don’t think it’s going to happen, sorry.”

Tommy held her. “Don’t need nobody but you.”

And her heart ached that she couldn’t let it be just this simple.

They waited until the lucky pair was announced — Frank Grier and Jessica MacLean — the music crested and…

Everything went dark, then there was a loud crack-crack-crack and the screams started.

What the hell, Chris? Sue had time to think before she dashed out of the exit, then left, left and the first door on the right.

What the hell?

* * *

A faint crack impacted on Carrie’s window, then another. For a moment, she didn’t know what was happening, then it struck her. Sue must be throwing stones at her window, just like in the stories that Carrie had read in her magazines.

Excitement knotted her stomach as Carrie crept, quiet as a mouse, towards the front door and opened it. Outside Sue stood, as pretty as a dream. It was only when Carrie got closer that she saw Sue’s hair had been messed up and her face streaked with grime.

“What happened?” Carrie demanded, her voice going high with outrage. “Who did this to you?”

Sue gave a bitter laugh. “No one.” She paused, then shook her head. “No one really. Some joker decided it’d be funny to flip the fuses and send the whole place into darkness, then let off some fire crackers. There was a certain amount of panic, especially after Frank stumbled off the stage and broke his leg, but this” --she indicated herself-- “this is just a result of the fuse box cupboard having apparently not been cleaned in years.”

Carrie made a sound of distress and tried to wipe away some of the dirt before realising how pointless it was. “Do you want to come inside so I can get you cleaned up?”

Sue hesitated, then shook her head and, though it was difficult to tell in the darkness, it looked like she was blushing slightly. “I was hoping that you’d come back with me to my place, if it won’t worry your Momma too much. My parents are out all night, and I’d like the company.”

Carrie could feel her stomach knotting up a completely different way, but she couldn’t help asking the question. “What about Tommy? I’m sure he’d be happy to take care of you.” And doubtless she’d prefer to have him there than Carrie, who she’d only really talked to for little over a week.

Sue looked off into the distance briefly. “I… I’m not sure that’d be fair to anyone, least of all him.” She looked sad for a moment, and Carrie couldn’t imagine how anyone, least of all someone who seemed as nice as Tommy, could leave Sue alone when she looked like this. But then Sue gave her a smile, even if it was obviously with an effort. “Besides, sometimes a girl just wants to chat with a friend, you know. And I can’t think of anyone better to do that with than you, Carrie White.”

“If you’re sure?”

Sue looped her arm through Carrie’s. “If you’re sure.”

Carrie let herself bask for a few minutes in the heat of Sue’s body pressed up against her side before reluctantly pulling free. “I guess I better get changed into some outside clothes then.”

Sue gave her a look of victory tampered with some more subdued emotion. “I guess you better. Though you might want to bring your nightdress along anyway, since I’m fully planning on having you stay the night.”

Carrie found herself blushing for no good reason before ducking her head and scurrying off to her room. Momma wouldn’t expect her up tomorrow before she left for work in any case, so she shouldn’t be missed, but just in case Momma did decide to check in on her, she left a note on her bed, telling her where she’d gone. Her stomach clenched at the thought of how angry Momma would be to know that Carrie had stolen out in the night like a thief, but it’d surely be worse if she found out and didn’t know what had happened.

Sue was pacing around when Carrie came back out, her face lighting up a little as she caught sight of her. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s be off.”

On the way to Sue’s house, they chatted of this and that. Sue quizzed her about the particulars of how she’d made the dress, exclaimed over the stitching and apologised for having gotten it so dirty. Carrie couldn’t help feeling slow and stupid when trying to keep up with her verbally, but the way that Sue smiled at her made it feel like it hardly mattered.

She didn’t know how long Sue would bother with her — hadn’t really thought that she would look at her again after the prom — but Carrie was going to hang on to this friendship for as long as Sue would let her.

Being in Sue’s house with the knowledge that she’d be staying there for the night — sleeping there even — it made it feel different in a way that Carrie couldn’t quite pin down. More magical, maybe. She’d heard other girls planning sleepovers and had wished and wished… but she’d never really thought that she’d be able to participate in one herself. Especially not with someone as pretty and popular as Sue. 

“Ugh,” Sue said, pulling out a dirty length of hair with some displeasure. “I’m gonna go shower. Um, can you help me with this?” she asked as she reached behind her back for the zipper.

“Oh, of course,” Carrie said, hopping over to her, pulling it down to reveal a creamy length of skin, highlighted by the sharp bumps of Sue’s spine. It was… she turned away, blushing slightly. Carrie wasn’t working now. She didn’t need to concentrate on Sue’s body right at the moment, had no reason to. It felt wrong, sinful in a way she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

“Feel free to settle down on the bed,” Sue said. “I’ll be back shortly.” She heard the sound of the door opening and closing behind her and carefully didn’t think about the sounds of the shower starting up shortly thereafter.

Not that there was any reason to dwell on that in the first place.

Looking around Sue’s bedroom, Carrie wondered what it’d be like to go to sleep in a place like this every night. She pressed on the bed with one hand. It was as soft and springy as it looked. She could only imagine that resting upon it would feel like sinking into a cloud. And the bookcase, desk, chair, even a telephone — Carrie could imagine being able to hole up in here for most of a weekend, hardly ever having to emerge, not necessarily even having to see any parents.

Wandering over to the desk, she looked through trinkets and ornaments scattered around it. Postcards proclaiming visits to New York and San Francisco, a model of a humanoid mouse, a snow globe with a pointy metal tower. Carrie wondered what it’d be like to have a life with contact with places that were so far away. Picking the globe, she shook it up and watched the snow drift downwards.

“My aunt sent me that,” Sue said from the doorway, towelling off her hair. “I’ve always wanted to visit Paris.”

Carrie carefully put it down. “Do you think you’ll ever get to go?”

Sue paused briefly. “Maybe,” she said but she didn’t sound overly convinced. 

Carrie offered her a cautious smile. “Maybe if you tell me about it, we can dream about visiting it together.”

Sue smiled slightly, then more genuinely. “Yeah, I’d like that. I’d really like that.” She walked over to the bed, sat down and patted beside her. “Unless you’d prefer to sit on the chair instead,” she said a little nervously.

Carrie froze momentarily. Why would she- oh. Always the differences between her and the other girls. “I don’t think even my Momma has heard of a scripture that prevents two girls sitting next to each other,” Carrie said, trying to make a joke of it.

“Oh! Uh, yes. Glad to hear it,” Sue said as Carrie took her place beside her, sinking into the bed just as she’d imagined that she might.

It felt awkward and stiff at first, mostly just listening to Sue talk about Paris, all the things she’d heard about from her aunt, all the things she hoped to do, but slowly Carrie began to relax, to offer her own commentary and jokes, asking her own questions about the food and language, some of which Sue knew, some of which she promised that she’d ask her aunt about. It was so nice, so wonderful, so much like warm sunlight being stretched out next to Sue like this that she just knew Momma would call it sinful, but she couldn’t bring herself to care.

She didn’t care at all.

Sue let out a yawn, looked vaguely horrified, then covered her mouth as she yawned again. “I’m sorry,” she said. “Long day.” 

Carrie realised that she had no idea of how they’d been talking, lost in a blissful summery haze. “Sorry,” she said. “I should have realised.”

Sue gave her a tired smile. “Hush,” she said. “I’m a big girl who can look after herself.”

“So, where do you want me to sleep?”

Sue stretched, got up and returned with some sheets. “You can have the bed, I’ll take the floor.”

Carrie immediately jumped to her feet. “Uh-uh. It’s your bed. Not sure I could sleep there anyway.” She gave an embarrassed smile. “It’s a bit softer than I’m used to.” She dug her toes into the thick carpet. “Not saying the floor isn’t either, but I think I can handle it.”

“I really don’t mind you taking the bed,” Sue said. “Mother would kill me if she knew I was taking the bed whilst a guest was sleeping on the floor.”

Carrie ducked her head and grabbed the sheets off her. “I insist.”

“Well, if you’re sure…”

Carrie laid the sheets out on the ground, then felt herself blushing a little. “Uh… where can I get changed?”

Sue jerked, looking a little red around the cheeks herself. “Um, the bathroom’s the second door on the right, sorry. You can get a new toothbrush from the drawer under the sink.”

When she returned, the room was lit only by a lamp by the bed. The sheets on the floor had been arranged neatly, and Sue was in bed, propped up by one arm. She smiled softly as Carrie entered the room. “Thanks. I really appreciate you coming back with me today.”

Carrie ducked her head and slid between the sheets on the floor. “It’s no problem,” she muttered. “It’s really no problem.”

She felt bad that Sue’s prom night had been ruined, but this had been the wonderful night she could remember, and there was nowhere she’d rather be.

* * *

Chris felt an unexpected arm slide through hers first thing Monday morning. When she turned around to bitch out whichever unfortunate had dared to lay hands on her without her permission, she met Sue’s furious glare.

“We really need to talk, don’t we?” Sue said, perfectly politely on the surface, but with very evident steel underneath.

Fuck. She’d really hoped to put this talk off for… well, forever preferably. And who could have guessed that Ms Golden Girl would get her act together quite so quickly?

Tina, meanwhile, was making a what-the-fuck face at her, before smirking, evidently expecting the smackdown about to occur.

Chris wished. She really wished. Though she had to admit that assertive was a good look on Sue.

She smiled sharp and vicious, and couldn’t help but be pleased at Sue’s slight flinch before she narrowed her eyes and stood up straighter. “Well,” Chris said, syrupy sweet. “If you really want to handle this right now, you could have just said. Catch you later,” she said to Tina. Sue looked nonplussed — really, the girl had no sense of subtlety — but allowed Chris to drag her into a closet.

“What the hell?” Sue snapped as soon as the door was closed behind them. “What the hell was that at the prom on Friday?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Chris said coolly.

Sue stared at her with unbelieving eyes.

“I don’t know-“ Chris started to repeat, then sighed and slumped against the door, feeling all the strength go out of her. “You don’t want to know what I do, Snell. You really don’t.”

Sue tilted her head and studied Chris. “What’s up with you? Why did you even warn me in the first place, and not any of your actual friends?” 

Good question, Chris thought bitterly. If Sue found out an answer, maybe she could let her know. The best answer she had was a desire to throw a spanner in Billy’s plan, however small, with someone who no one would believe even if she did tell. But that didn’t quite ring true either.

She pushed herself back up and stared Sue directly in the face. “Trust me, there’s shit you want to know, and shit you really wish that you didn’t. This is firmly in the latter territory.” Like the way Billy had promised to kill anyone who gave him up and, with a cold, sinking sensation in her stomach, Chris believed him. For the first time in her life, she really wasn’t sure what she was going to do. But one thing was clear — this was her mess, and Little Miss Perfect was not going to get anywhere near it. Time to go on the offensive. “Speaking of which, how are things going with Carrie? Made best buddies with her yet?”

Sue stared at her in disbelief. “You think I’m going to help you to do anything with Carrie now? After what I have on you? In fact, you or your friends so much as go near her…”

Now that just wasn’t acceptable, no matter how good Sue might look with a bit of spirit in her. Chris leaned in. “You’ll what? Tell on me? Then I’ll tell on you. You know what people will think of you? You know what little miss Too-Good-For-Church will think? You think she’d be your friend if she really knew?”

Sue’s face whitened, but she held firm. “I don’t know why I even bothered to give you the benefit of the doubt. Spew your lies, but Frank broke his leg and other people were injured. I-“

Chris blocked the rest of the sentence with her mouth. There was a moment when Sue was still, when the fear that Chris had been entirely wrong about her raced through her veins, and then Sue was kissing her furiously back, biting her lip so hard that Chris was surprised she couldn’t taste blood before Sue was licking her way into Chris’ mouth.

Wow, Chris thought, impressed despite herself. Girl’s got game. And then she counter-attacked, refusing to let Sue get the upper hand, not here, not ever and certainly not on this field of battle.

Finally, Sue pulled back, lips red, eyes wet, looking distraught. “There,” she said. “You were right. I like girls. Happy now?” She pushed past Chris and stormed out of the closet.

Chris took a moment to arrange herself. She’d… honestly never thought about doing that, not really. And, God, certainly never to Sue Snell of all girls, occasional moments of spark aside. Hidden depths indeed.

Finally, she allowed herself to consider Sue’s final question — no and, surprisingly, maybe a little yes, after that. For the first time since Friday, for a few moments she’d felt like she’d had her feet back underneath her.

* * *

Sue felt like she didn’t know whether she was coming or going. After fleeing the closet, she’d run into the washroom and furiously wiped at her face before reapplying her makeup and making her way towards class. As she wandered through the corridors, she felt like everyone must be looking at her, like they could see what she had been doing written all over her face. What she was. Who she liked.

She could still feel Chris’ burning kiss upon her lips. How much she’d liked it. How much more it had made her burn than anything…

Tommy. Oh god, Tommy. What would she tell him? What could she tell him? He’d known something was wrong Friday night when she’d asked him to just drive her home and leave her there, but — bless him — he hadn’t pushed.

But he’d want to talk to her today, want to know how she was, deserve to know these answers, and she… She was going to have to lie to him. She didn’t know what she was going to tell him, but she…

“Sue,” Carrie’s sweet voice said and, god, Sue couldn’t even bear to look at her. Chris’ words echoed within her. You think she’d be your friend if she really knew. For God’s sake, she’d invited Carrie to stay the night on Friday. What would she—could she— think if she knew that Sue was fresh from kissing Chris Hargenson, was unable to get her bloody lips out of her mind?

Still, no need to be rude. She couldn’t do that to Carrie, not after all she’d suffered. She forced a smile onto her face and turned to face her. “Carrie,” she said in her best attempt at being warm. “I hope you had a good weekend.”

If Sue was truly trying to fool Carrie, she failed, as a shadow fell across Carrie’s face. “Is everything alright?”

And, God, Sue couldn’t handle this now, couldn’t handle Carrie right now, could in no way be good enough for her right now. “I’m fine, Everything’s fine. Sorry, Carrie, I need to get to first period now.” She fled away from her, eyes starting to burn again, unable to look back for fear of the hurt she was sure was on the girl’s face.

Tommy in third period wasn’t any easier. “Hi,” he said, meeting her as she approached the classroom. He ducked down for a kiss, and if she’d needed any evidence that she just didn’t have any of the same spark with him that she had with Chris, despite liking him far more as a person, she certainly had it now.

“Hi,” she whispered.

He took one look at her face, and she could tell he knew. Something, at least. “Talk later?”

She smiled sadly. “Lunchtime,” she promised.

School lunches had never looked so unappetising. Sue stared at her food blankly, waiting for Tommy to join her. From the expression on his face, he wasn’t looking forward to this any more than she was.

But someone had to be brave, to do what she knew needed to be done. “We need to break up.”

She could see her words hit Tommy like a blow. If anyone didn’t deserve this, it was him; the kindest, sweetest boy she knew. Surely, if she could love any boy, it would have been him. She felt like shit, but he deserved better than her. He deserved someone who could love him back.

“I guessed you’d be saying something like that,” he said resignedly. “Is it something I did?”

“No!” she said sharply. “No,” she repeated more quietly. “It’s nothing to do with you. It’s all me.” She gave him a smile that felt like it was on the verge of breaking. “I’m really sorry. So very sorry.”

Tommy’s jaw worked, his mouth opened then, with an obvious effort, he shut it again and took a deep breath. “I can’t say that I didn’t see this coming, not after Friday. I feel like shit that I can’t be here for you, but...” His eyes sparkled with tears before he blinked them back. “I’ll be taking my lunch elsewhere.” He stood up again, taking his tray with him.

“Sorry,” Sue whispered after him, feeling like the lowest kind of life. “But it’s for the best. It’s really for the best.”

She couldn’t decide what was worse — that she knew she was right, or that it still sounded like she was trying to convince herself.

* * *

Monday was a stab in the heart. After Friday night, Saturday morning, Carrie had allowed herself to believe that Sue actually did like her, was going to maintain their friendship beyond the week necessary for the dress. But Monday… she hadn’t done anything wrong, she was sure of it, but Sue had been uncomfortable around her, hadn’t approached her at all, had hardly spoken with her even after Carrie had tentatively said hello.

She’d even had to find out that Sue had broken up with Tommy from overhearing other girls rather than having Sue come and tell her in person.

She’d gone home and cried. Momma had looked on in satisfaction. “The Lord knows your sins, Carrie. Cast them out! Repent of them, and he may show mercy, unlike all those benighted souls that do not acknowledge his greatness!” Momma had grabbed her and Carrie had, for once, gone willingly with her to the altar. “Get in, and pray to Jesus to have mercy upon your woman-weak soul!”

There was a kind of comfort in praying to a Lord who seemed to just hate, being reminded of a school who likewise just seemed to hate.

Tuesday morning dawned with some small measure of hope. Maybe Sue had just had a bad day. Maybe it wasn’t about Carrie at all. But that was quickly dashed when Sue seemed just as uncomfortable around her as before, despite being willing to at least acknowledge her.

She had known this was never going to last, she told herself. She had known. And at least Sue was still polite to her. No one was pointing and laughing at her because she’d been stupid enough to fall for yet another trick.

That night there were fewer tears, more resignation. Tomorrow, she vowed, she’d rip the bandage off.

“You don’t have to pretend any more,” she told Sue without preamble the next morning. “It’s kinder if you just tell me the truth about not wanting to be my friend.”

Sue, to her horror, burst into tears and hugged her. Carrie had stiffened before relaxing into her arms. “I can’t talk about it here,” Sue whispered into her ear. “Can we meet up after school?”

Carrie, stunned, unable to stop the treacherous flame of hope from lighting within her, nodded.

“Can we do this at my house?” Sue asked after school. “I’d feel safer there.”

After days of being shut out, Carrie couldn’t help _staring_ at Sue, judging, assessing, searching. Sue stumbled, but it didn’t feel like a trap, so Carrie nodded.

The air in the bedroom was different to any time she’d visited before — charged, tense. Sue looked everywhere but at Carrie, drumming the fingers of one hand on the bedsheets beside her. She briefly touched her lips with the fingers of her other, then pursed her mouth with a look of determination.

She finally glanced nervously at Carrie. “I just realised that this could be really taken the wrong way and, um, it’s really not that. It’s just” --she stopped drumming so she could wring her hands together-- “I really need to feel safe or I’m never going to get this out. And I understand if you hate me after I tell you this, I really do, but if you could not tell anyone else, anyone else at all” --she started to cry silent tears-- “I’d be really grateful. Really so very grateful.”

Carrie reached over towards Sue, hesitated, then finally fortified herself enough to complete the movement, stilling the twisting of Sue’s hands with her own. “You don’t have to tell me anything,” she said softly. “Anything at all.” Please don’t tell me that this was all a joke, she silently begged her. We can keep pretending. I really don’t mind.

Sue shook her head. “No,” she said. “No. I have to get it out. It’s not fair otherwise.” She took a breath, blew it out shakily, took another breath. “I think I like girls,” she said in a small voice. At Carrie’s confused face, she elaborated. “Like kissing them. Maybe doing more with them, I don’t know.”

Carrie rocked back a little. Momma had railed against deviants who sinned with their own sex, but it hand’t been a major part of her sermons. And Sue certainly had dirtypillows, so Momma would say that sin had entered her already.

Was it any different? Carrie honestly didn’t know. Momma would probably force her to the altar to pray for hours just for asking.

“It’s why I had to break up with Tommy.” She started shaking, the tears flowing harder, her voice becoming wet. “It’s why I had to tell you, Carrie. It wasn’t fair to you to have you over like this if you didn’t…” She gave Carrie an intense look. “That isn’t why I invited you over last Friday, I swear. I just needed someone to talk to.” She smiled a little self consciously. “I just needed to talk to you.”

Carrie felt warm that Sue would trust her this much, would want to talk with her above all of her other friends. She knew what the other girls at school would say, had said about Lily Taylor, a girl a couple of years ahead of them who had been accused of perving on other girls in the changing room. Lily’d had to leave the school in the end. Carrie didn’t know what had happened to her after that.

Selfishly, she wasn’t going to let that happen to Sue. Only Jesus knew what Chris, let alone the other girls would say about her. She gripped Sue’s hand tighter and said, “Don’t worry, Sue. I won’t tell anyone. I won’t tell a soul.” Not even Jesus, not even if he came after her to drag her to Hell.

She’d fight him if he tried. She’d use all the power of her mind to make sure that he didn’t lay a finger on Sue.

Sue collapsed backwards onto the bed in relief, her muscles going slack. “Thank you,” she said. “Thank you. I was so worried…” She propped herself up again and flushed. “But I really didn’t invite you back here because I wanted to kiss you, Carrie, you’ve got to believe that.”

She continued talking but Carrie’s brain disconnected at the thought of Sue kissing her. Pretty, perfect Sue kissing someone like her. She blushed. It was just so unlikely. If Sue wanted to kiss any girl, there were far prettier at school.

Really, she just felt warm and honoured that Sue had trusted her with this. “I trust you,” she said, cutting off Sue’s nervous babble. “I know you’d never hurt me, not in any way.” She did, she realised. Far more than Momma, whatever she might say. Sue was good, had treated her with kindness.

If Sue liked kissing girls, then clearly it was just another thing that Momma, that the school, that the world had gotten wrong. 

Simple as that.

That decided, she nodded her head. “You don’t need to apologise for any of this, you hear?” she said to Sue, who was still silent, looking at Carrie as if she couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing.

A few more tears leaked out of Sue’s eyes, but she was smiling. She pushed herself all the way up and hugged Carrie, hard. “I don’t deserve you, Carrie White,” she murmured into her shoulder. “I really don’t.”

Sue had trusted her with this. Her, Carrie White, above all of her other friends. Surely that meant Carrie could trust her with something too. And on a wave of optimism and hope, Carrie opened her mouth.

“There’s something you should know about me too,” she said.

Sue pushed herself away from Carrie, and she immediately missed the warmth. Sue looked her in the face. “What is it?” she asked. “I won’t judge you, I promise.”

“I can move things with my mind,” Carrie said. “And sometimes, sometimes I think I can read people’s thoughts.”

Sue blinked. “Okay?”

“No, really,” Carrie insisted. She looked at the bookshelf and started lifting books off of it, sending them floating around the room. She sneaked a look at Sue, relaxed when she saw Sue looking enchanted, like she was a little child watching a magic trick.

“How long have you been able to do this?” she breathed.

The books dropped. “Since, uh,” Carrie said, flushing. “Since the day you all teased me. Though I think I remember doing it when I was young as well.”

“Oh god,” Sue said hugging her again. “I’m still so sorry for that. And I can’t believe you could do that. I think I might have really hurt someone if I was able to do that.” A fond smile crossed her face. “But of course you didn’t. You’re so sweet, far too good for the rest of us.”

Carrie shifted, blushing harder, probably going an ugly blotchy red. “I’m not sure I’d say that,” she muttered.

“Believe in yourself,” Sue said, tapping her on the nose with a finger. She paused, then narrowed her eyes. “Were you behind the recent rash of accidents happening around me?”

Carrie slid her eyes away. “They were being mean to you.” She wanted to be Sue’s angel with a sword.

“You really shouldn’t do that,” Sue said, though a chuckle belied her words. “I mean it,” she said, sobering. “It’s sweet, but I don’t want you hurting people on my behalf.”

“Okay,” Carrie said reluctantly. “If that’s what you want.”

“I do,” Sue said definitively. “I wouldn’t want that from a boyfriend — or a girlfriend, I guess — and I don’t want that from you.” Another hug. “Thank you for trusting me with this.” She released Carrie and backed away. “I’m sorry I didn’t think to ask. Do you mind me doing that now you know?”

“No,” Carrie said, smiling bashfully. “I don’t mind that at all.” And this time she was the one to initiate the hug.

* * *

The Chevy jounced as it pulled up to school, a spear of pain stabbing through Chris as the gear stick jabbed into her chest. Breath was forced from her lungs, but she didn’t let herself bite down, not where her mouth was currently positioned.

It was Billy’s new favourite thing, combining driving with sex. Best of all, he said, it meant that he didn’t have to worry about her using her mouth for anything else, like talking.

The bitter irony was that it had been her idea in the first place. After prom, after he’d decided that he liked hitting her, she’d thought of it as a treat, as something he’d like, a way to handle him. Maybe get things back to how they had been, however much she didn’t want that any more.

And it had worked, for the first few times. The first time when she came up, he looked like he’d seen God, had stroked her hair and made her feel almost safe for a bit. The second and third times it’d put him in a good mood, and he hadn’t laid a finger on her for a few days after each one.

Now he just demanded it all the time, and things got ugly if she didn’t put out.

She sat up when the car pulled to a halt, eyes focussed on Billy’s face to gauge his mood. She relaxed when she saw his face held no anger or violence, and hated herself a little that she felt that way.

“I… uh, you don’t need to pick me up this evening. I was planning on going around to Tina’s with some of the other girls?” She couldn’t help making that last a question, her heart beating a little faster as she hoped…

“Fuck those bitches,” Billy said pleasantly. “I’ve got a better use for you,” He reached across and grabbed her by the arm and she winced as his fingers closed on a bruise he’d left a few days ago. “Right, babe?”

“Right,” she said and slid out of the car. 

It had only been a faint hope, anyway.

She quickly stopped by the washroom to rinse out her mouth before continuing to make her way through the school. She waved at Tina, who barely acknowledged her with a nod before turning back to laugh with Donna. How the mighty had fallen, indeed. She wished that she cared more. But lately it seemed that all her thoughts bent around Billy and…

Sue was waiting for her in the empty drama room. Pretty, prefect Sue. She barely had time to react, to light up in expectation or frustration or… Chris didn’t really care what, only that she responded when Chris kissed her, hard and brutal and like she still had some measure of control over her life.

This was the only thing that seemed to make sense any more. She didn’t know what she’d do without it.

She grunted as Sue grabbed her forearm, applying pressure to the same bruise Billy had earlier, but only felt pure frustration as Sue pulled away, a worried look on her face.

“Are you alright?”

Chris had never hated anything quite so much as she did Saint Sue’s pity in that moment. “Fine!” she snapped. They didn’t talk about the bruises. Sue should have known this by now. Billy had threatened to kill her if she told, threatened to kill anyone she told, especially her father. Killing Sue wouldn’t make him turn a hair. “What did you want, anyway?” she asked when Sue seemed reluctant to get back to business. They only had so long before first bell, and it wasn’t like little Miss Goody Two-Shoes would skip a class.

Besides, if Chris skipped, word might get back to Billy and that was unacceptable.

Sue hesitated another moment, before indicating one of her breasts. “Please,” she said with a pretty little blush.

It was a gentleness that Chris would have scoffed at just a few weeks ago. It was something she couldn’t help indulging in right now. She smirked, then leaned in and started kissing Sue again, her right hand moving to cup Sue’s breast, stroking the nipple through her top with her thumb. Sue groaned into her mouth, then started getting aggressive with her tongue.

Thank god for Sue Snell. 

Chris couldn’t believe she was thinking that.

* * *

Sue, body gently buzzing, was just cleaning up after their morning makeout session — wet wipes, makeup, hand mirror and other supplies being her friend — when she burst out with it.

“I think I might be pregnant.”

Chris paused and looked at her, raising an eyebrow, and, honestly, what had Sue been thinking? This was Chris, fallen mean girl, and the only reason she wasn’t still holding the whole kissing girls thing over Sue’s head was because she was the girl! She was really the last person Sue should be sharing this with.

The only problem being that Sue’s main confidante these days was Carrie and Carrie, for all her wonderful qualities… wouldn’t really understand. Not in the way other high school girls would. She had been rebuilding bridges with Sarah, but she wasn’t sure about that friendship being ready for this. But the worry had been rattling around her head for a few days now and…

Well, there were probably worse places for that thought to burst out.

Hopefully.

“How certain are you?” Chris finally asked.

Sue gave her a quick, tight, unhappy smile. “My period was due a few days ago. Last month’s didn’t happen either.”

“Well, well, well,” Chris drawled. “Who would have thought that Sue Snell, golden girl extraordinaire, would have been riding Tommy Ross’ dick without a rubber?”

“Can you shut up?” Sue snapped. “I really don’t need this right now. Especially not considering…” She gestured between the two of them, though she had no idea at all why she was indulging this particular insanity at the moment.

Chris shut up, looking down at her feet. “Sorry,” she said, like the words were being forced out of her. Sue looked at her in surprise. She really did seem at least somewhat penitent, and Sue couldn’t quell a flash of worry at that. Despite everything, despite how awful Chris had been all the way through school, it hurt a little seeing her this way. Chris looked up at her. “How certain are you?”

Sue made a face. “Like I said, I skipped my last two periods.. But I can’t go to the doctor’s. He’ll tell my parents for sure.” Her voice rose in panic as she stomach twisted at the thought.

“I’ve got some home test kits at my house.” Chris rolled her eyes. “Daddy believes in being prepared. I could bring one in tomorrow.”

Not that he wasn’t right to, Sue couldn’t help thinking, then chided herself for the thought. Chris was offering to do her a favour “Thanks,” she said.

Chris was as good as her word, handing her a bag the next morning. The test was a clear plastic box with an equally clear tube and a plastic vial inside. “Add some drops of piss,” Chris explained. “Store it in your locker until lunch. If there isn’t a red circle, celebrate. Otherwise, at least you know.”

Sue followed her instructions and felt a sense of rising panic all morning. She wanted to know, yes, but she wasn’t sure that she wanted a definitive answer she’d have to worry about today. When she saw Carrie in second period, she squeezed her hand, hard.

“Are you alright?” Carrie asked.

“I will be.”

Finally, lunchtime arrived. Sue felt like she was going to puke as she approached her locker. The bag stood there in the front, concealing the kit so no one passing could see. She almost chickened out, but forced herself to look inside.

Red circle.

Christ. Fuck. God.

She managed to get to the washroom before she burst into tears and lacked the energy to leave for the rest of lunchtime. What was she going to do? Should she tell Tommy? She knew that he’d want to know, maybe deserved to know — it was his, no doubt about that. He’d step up if she wanted, would support he regardless… But it’d be so unfair to him, just when she’d hoped he was starting to get over her.

She was distracted the rest of the day, hardly managing to take any notes in class and completely failing to notice Mr Simms asking her a question until the whole class was snickering at her. It just seemed so trivial, so unimportant compared to the secret beating in her womb.

She was pregnant. God.

Chris caught up with her as she was getting ready to leave school. She took one look at her face, and dragged her off to a closet.

“Bad news, then,” she said.

Sue winced, felt the corners of her eyes start to itch.

“What do you want to do?” She could practically hear Chris biting off the rest of that sentence, and felt a rush of possibly unwarranted gratitude.

“I don’t know,” she whispered and looked back up at Chris, who was affecting a bored look, but with a hint of what she thought was sympathy lurking somewhere beneath.

Chris raised a finger. “Do you want to raise the kid? Maybe hook back up with Tommy and probably either get a job or stay at home?”

“No.” The answer was immediate.

Second finger. “Do you want to keep it, let everyone know that you— got pregnant. Unless your parents are willing to ‘send you to a cousin’, I guess. Then, whatever, adopt it out?”

It was what she should want. She was the one who’d gotten pregnant. If she didn’t want to keep it herself, she knew it was what Tommy would want. Maybe he’d even want to adopt the kid himself. Sue opened her mouth, but couldn’t force out a word.

Chris took her silence as license to carry on. Third finger. “Do you want to abort it? Thanks to Daddy, I know a doctor who can get it done discreetly. I can…” She bit her lip, then carried on. “I can drive you up at the weekend, get it done.”

Feeling like a hypocrite, remembering all the times she’d judged other girls who had had The Procedure after being careless Doing It, she nodded anyway.

“Okay,” Chris flashed her a bright, tight grin. “It’s decided. I better get to the parking lot before Billy’s waiting too long.”

She disappeared before Sue could so much as thank her. Alone, Sue collapsed onto the floor shaking again, this time with a guilty relief.

* * *

Carrie was worried about Sue. Not as worried as she had been last week, of course, when she’d seemed so nervous and sad, but also so very tight lipped about what was bothering her. A good friend didn’t pry, but Carrie had been so very tempted. Carrie hadn’t even been able to visit her on Saturday — apparently she’d been busy on some mysterious errand.

At least she hadn’t pulled away from Carrie this time. If anything, she’d been even more physically affectionate, taking every opportunity to hold Carrie’s hand or link their arms.

And at least today the worst seemed to be over. Sue seemed just subdued rather than anything worse, even if she still refused to explain.

Carrie held her hand as they sat in the canteen and worried.

There was an impact against her chest and then she was drenched in warmth and wetness. She closed her eyes instinctively. Beside her, she felt Sue tense.

“Oh my god, that looks like she’s covered in blood,” came a girl’s mocking, cruel voice.

Opening her eyes, she was covered in a red, sticky fluid. Soup of the day. In front of her stood one of Chris’ hanger-ons — Fern, she thought — not even bothering to hide the smirk on her face, the bowl she’d ‘accidentally’ emptied over Carrie rolling on the table.

And then the laughter started. First from Chris’ table, all of them like hyenas, Chris being the only one silent and pale. And then from everywhere, echoing around the canteen, murmurs of per-iod following it. Low enough to be deniable, loud enough that she could hear it.

Time slowed down, like she was in a nightmare. She covered her ears, but she couldn’t block out the sound as her brain went faster and faster and faster. She could feel that part of herself that she’d been exercising and exercising beg to be let out, to punish these people who just wouldn’t leave them alone.

Hurt them so they’d never hurt her again.

Do it, pulsed inside her brain. Do it, do it, do it.

Then arms clamped around her and Sue’s soothing presence saved her. She clung to her promise to not use to her power to hurt.

She wouldn’t, she wouldn’t, she wouldn’t.

She opened her eyes and glared at the girl in front of her, who abruptly stopped laughing as if slapped, and she knew it was because the girl had abruptly just understood that Carrie could hurt her. She transferred her gaze to the girls on Chris’ table who, one by one, all stopped laughing as they understood the same thing. Even Chris, who had never laughed at all, just twisted a hand towel between her hands, looking alternately between her and Sue.

“Come on,” Sue said to her, pulling back, fierce, concerned, all trace of her previous quiet gone. “Let’s get you cleaned up in the washroom.”

Carrie finally looked at her and had to smile weakly. “You too. You’ve got it smeared all over you.”

“Worth it,” Sue said, then looked over at Chris and glared. To Carrie’s surprise, Chris didn’t look defiant, just faintly apologetic. Sue softened slightly, before turning back to Carrie and slipping an arm through hers. Then she looked at Fern. “Don’t think I’m not reporting this to the principal.”

“It was an accident,” Fern said, trying to sneer but her voice broke.

“We’ll see who he believes,” Sue said before tugging on Carrie’s arm. “Come, let’s get out of here.”

And… there was still a core of furious anger, but Carrie didn’t have to reach for it, didn’t have to succumb, however tempting it might be. 

She was stronger. With Sue, she was stronger than this. She didn’t have to do anything she didn’t want to.

“Okay,” she said. “Let’s go.”

* * *

Chris went up and tapped Sue on the shoulder as she was leaving school for the day. “Bleachers,” she whispered into her ear.

It was reckless, she knew. Dangerous, even. But after having suffered Billy’s displeasure for ducking out on him on Saturday, she needed this before she saw him again, before he could knock her around hard enough that heavy makeup couldn’t cover it.. Craved it, even. 

Despite the fact that Billy was sure to be angry that she wasn’t where she was supposed to be. How much more could he hurt her anyway?

Maybe he’d get bored, of waiting, maybe of her. Please, God, let him get bored of her.

Sue was waiting for her when she got there, the dried on remnants of tomato soup staining her top. “Tell me you had nothing to do with this,” she demanded, indicating one of the larger stains.

There was a time, not too long ago, when Chris would have answered yes, just to drive a little passion into Sue’s cheeks. Hell, there was a time not too long ago when the answer would have been a truthful yes. But now she just shook her head impatiently. “If you think Tina and the rest are keeping me in the loop these days — or are in general doing anything other than tolerating me in the hope that I’ll make my house available for a party some time soon — then you’re sadly mistaken.”

She felt a little hollow at the reminder that she had changed so much, in so little time, that she’d give an answer like this. Sue would doubtless say it was an improvement, but Chris wasn’t sure that desperation was an improvement over anything.

Still, toll paid, Sue allowed Chris to approach her, press her against a support and start kissing her. Sue’s neck was a particularly delicious target today, and she made very appreciative noises… before she pushed Chris away, much to her displeasure. Sue gently ran a finger over her cheek, tracing the shape of a bruise she’d hoped she’d covered.

“It’s getting worse, isn’t it?” Sue asked softly.

Chris ignored her and moved in again, kissing her on the mouth.

“You slut!” came a familiar, ugly voice from off to the side and Chris froze.

No. Nonononono. No. Not yet, not today, not ever.

Sue’s eyes widened in horror and she started desperately pushing Chris away. She’d only managed to get a step or two away when Chris was grabbed by a strong hand, spun around, then her vision flashed, her head rang and she was on the ground, staring at Billy’s boots.

“You high society sluts are all the same,” he ranted as he left her field of vision, running, then Sue let out a scream. “But this is who you were cheating on me with.” He stomped back and her scalp lit up in pain as he grabbed her by the hair, dragging her towards Sue’s fallen form as she struggled to get to her feet. “This bitch?” He spat in Chris’ face, then kicked Sue in the ribs, knocking the air out of her with a whoof and sending her back to the ground.

“You know what I’m going to do to you now, Chris. I didn’t want to, but you really fucking forced me.” He didn’t look sorry in the slightest, wearing the same grin he wore when he took her to the fights and blood was spilt.

He was going to kill her, Chris realised. He was going to kill them both.

Fuck.

She swallowed. There wasn’t a way out for her, but maybe, just maybe…

She forced out a harsh laugh. “You think I was cheating on you with her, Billy? Don’t make me laugh. Sue the Golden Girl ever be up for something like this? Never. I forced her into doing this for me, because I was so bored by your performance in bed, Billy.” She infused his name with as much contempt as she could manage. “I took her like a man because, god knows, there wasn’t a man enough in any other part of my life.”

Billy’s face was almost apoplectic with rage as he raised his fist and brought it down again and again. Chris could barely see for the pain, felt something in her face crack.

Get the fuck out of here, Sue, she thought muzzily. Get the fuck out. 

And maybe if she didn’t… Maybe he’d think she was that was easily cowed… Maybe he’d keep her alive.

Maybe.

Suddenly Billy was just gone. Chris blinked the spots out of her eyes, she saw his bloody body crumpled against the bottom of the bleachers, looking like it had been hit by a truck.

Carrie was standing near the exit, hair rippling gently in a non-existent wind. “Sue?” she said in a quiet voice that pierced the ringing in Chris’ ears like it wasn’t there.

Sue whimpered, her eyes still stuck on Billy’s body.

“He was hurting her,” Carrie said. “He was hurting her, and I thought she was you. I didn’t have a choice.” She sounded almost desperate and… and…

Billy was dead. Billy was dead and it felt like she could breathe again. If it didn’t feel like she was currently half drowning on her own blood of course.

Sue whimpered again, and Carrie was over by her. “What were you doing here, anyway? Was it a trick?” She turned her eyes towards Chris, and it seemed like her eyes were almost burning. “What it Chris? Did she gull you, and… and…”

Suddenly it was like there were steel bars around Chris’ neck and she was being dragged upwards by them. She wanted to scream, to say anything, but couldn’t even breathe. In a panic, she gripped at her neck, trying to find something, anything to hold onto, but there was only air.

“If you’ve hurt her,” Carrie growled at her. “If you’ve hurt my Sue…”

“No,” Sue finally managed. “Don’t. It wasn’t her. Let her go!”

Chris was dropped to the ground and just lay there, trying to recover her breath. A gentle hand rested on her, rolled her into the recovery position. “Are you alright?” Sue asked.

“Why are you being so nice to her?” Carrie asked “Why were you here in the first place?” She paused. “Her? She was the one you’ve been kissing?”

“That’s not important right now,” Sue snapped. “She’s really hurt, Carrie. She needs our help!”

“She’s hurt me, she’s tormented me for so many years, and you’ve been kissing her?” Carrie said, sounding like a wounded animal. “Why?”

Chris pushed herself into a sitting position, wheezing and spitting out blood. That… that fucker had broken her nose. She ignored the chill about what else he was going to her. “I’m fine,” she said to Sue, offering a smile that she was sure was full of blood. “Go talk to Carrie.”

The last thing she needed was to be helpless before another overwhelming force right now.

Sue made a distressed noise and dabbed at her face with a handkerchief.

“No,” Carrie said. “No. I can’t— I killed someone for her,” she wailed. “I can’t be here right now.” She turned and stalked off and Chris immediately felt it easier to breathe.

She forced her mind into gear. No one would believe what had happened here, and if they did… Well, she’d heard enough stories from her father about how the world would react to someone with Carrie’s powers.

Not well.

And, at the least, she owed Carrie her own life. Probably Sue’s too.

“Follow her,” she said. “Calm her down. Try and explain things to her.” She gave Sue another cracked smile. “She’s not exactly wrong about how shitty I’ve been to her.”

“No,” Sue said urgently. “You’re hurt. I’m not going to leave you.”

“I need you to,” Chris said bluntly. “I’m going to need to try and explain this,” she said gesturing in the vague direction of the body. “And, no offence, you’re not exactly the best liar.”

Not to mention, if there was a possible alternate scapegoat, her father would be more than happy to drop any and all trouble on Sue’s pretty little head.

Sue’s face screwed up and she began to cry. “I didn’t help… I couldn’t do anything… I just lay there as he hit you and…”

Chris sighed. She really couldn’t believe that she was going to say this, but… “That’s who you are, Sue. It’s… actually not such a bad thing.” Especially right now, “When the rubber meets the road, I default to bitch, you to nice. Don’t sweat it. Really.”

She sniffed. “Really?”

“Really.” She pushed at Sue. “Now go, catch up with Carrie while you can.”

“Promise that you’re actually going to call an ambulance?”

She rolled her eyes, then regretted it at the flash of pain through her head. “You just try and stand between me and that morphine. Go!”

With one last look, Sue got up and left.

Chris staggered to her feet. Ow, crap. That had hurt just as much as she’d imagined.

* * *

Sue stumbled away from the bleachers, the body and Chris, her head pounding from where Bill had hit it, her ribs still throbbing.

Oh god. Oh god. Oh god.

Chris’ bloody face. She almost turned around and went back for her, but Chris had promised. Chris had made her go after Carrie.

Carrie. Carrie was out here, having just killed someone. She must be… She must be…

She blinked. Carrie was in front of her, tears leaking down her face. Sue wasn’t sure how she’d gotten there. She looked around. She was on the route Carrie walked every day to school.

“Carrie,” she said. “Are you alright?” She reached forward to try and hug her, but Carrie stepped backwards, out of reach. “Carrie?” she asked, high and desperate.

“You kissed her,” Carrie said miserably. “I can’t believe she was the one you were kissing.”

“I’m so sorry you had to see that,” Sue said as blood, blood, blood flashed behind her eyes. “I’m so sorry I was so useless I couldn’t stop him before you got there.”

Instead she’d just frozen there, useless and stupid, failing to act. Just like always. She’d even had to be pushed into making friends with Carrie and that…

That had been the most wonderful thing ever.

“You had to pushed into making friends with me?” Carrie said, voice high pitched, look of utter betrayal on her face,

She’d said that? She hadn’t thought she had, but her mind was so… She reached for Carrie again, and Carrie took another step back. “No,” she said. “Maybe. Chris wanted me to do it, for some trick or other.” Though Sue hadn’t seen any surprise on her face when Carrie… had done what she did. Had this been her plan, even all the way back then? “But I wasn’t going to do it,” she insisted. “I felt really bad for what happened in the locker room, and I… and I wanted to find some way to make up for it. And I’m so glad that I did, Carrie. You’re the sweetest, the best girl I’ve ever known, and I wouldn’t swap anyone for you.”

Carrie’s face was like stone. “I knew it. I knew it was too good to be true, that You People always have something behind their nice words. But I gave you the benefit of the doubt, Sue. I let myself trust you. I… I… I killed a guy for you!” she almost screamed. “And all the time you were just laughing behind my back! I hate you, Sue Snell!” She turned around and stormed off towards her house at a pace Sue couldn’t match.

“Wait,” Sue called after her. “It’s not like that. It’s never been like that. Are you alright, Carrie? Are you alright?” She gave up talking and just concentrated on walking as quickly as she could. The next thing she knew, she was in front of Carrie’s house, but no matter how much she knocked on the door, Carrie didn’t answer.

Not that Sue deserved any better. Useless, useless bitch that she was.

Lost in her thoughts, she turned for home. Somehow, head still throbbing, she made it back and immediately headed upstairs to her room. Sprawling out on the bed, she stared blankly at the ceiling.

Had Chris managed to phone the authorities? Had she collapsed? She’d looked so bloody, so beaten, yet so full of life as she’d ordered Sue away. Like she’d been fully alive for the first time since prom.

Had the police arrested her? Surely not — it was obvious it had been self defence. And she had her father. Surely he’d look after her.

Why the hell had she taunted Billy like that? Couldn’t she, like, not be a bitch for five minutes? The way she’d looked at Sue just before spitting fire at him flashed through her mind.

Oh.

Oh.

She’d deliberately drawn his attention so Sue could… could do something and Sue had just been unable to move.

She couldn’t even do that right.

But Chris, so fierce, so cruel… She’d never have imagined that Chris might be like that on behalf of someone else, in defence of someone else, even at the cost of…

Well, it might have cost Chris her life.

It… Chris was still capable of being an awful person, and that didn’t excuse that. But she couldn’t help feeling a warm flame inside of her at the thought of this new side of Chris she’d glimpsed.

Not that Carrie would be happy about this.

Oh, Carrie. She deserved so much better than Sue, than the mess Sue had made of her own life, let alone Carrie’s. She hoped that she was alright. She hoped that she could forgive herself.

She hoped that Carrie could learn to trust again, because she had so very much to offer, and she so very much deserved to have that in her life.

She somehow managed to find a few untapped tears to trickle down her face. Oh, Carrie, she thought.

* * *

Carrie knelt in front of the altar and kept on praying until the knocking stopped.

She was so angry and sad and… and… She didn’t know what she was feeling.

She had killed a man today. (Thou shalt not murder.) She’d thought she was an angel with a sword, but maybe that was just pride speaking, like Momma always warned about.

Momma.

Would she be able to sense the blood upon Carrie’s hands? Would she cast her out, to crawl in the dust like a serpent? Would she bring the wrath of the Lord upon Carrie’s head? Would she stick her in the closet until she died of thirst, as the only way to expiate her sins?

Momma, Momma.

Had she been right all along? Was there a sickness within Carrie, a woman sickness, a plague-red sickness that poisoned everything she touched, that everyone saw apart from her?

A blood red sickness.

She could still see that body in front of, broken limbs splayed like those of a discarded doll. She’d felt Sue’s pain, her fear, from all the way across the school. When she’d gotten there, his anger had lit up the air around her. He’d been going to kill the girl he’d been beating, she had seen it as plain as day.

The girl. Chris.

Carrie would have been lying if she said that she hadn’t dreamed about killing Chris too.

Thou shalt not bear false witness.

Like Sue. Carrie felt the pain and the anger explode inside of her. Sue had pretended to be her friend -- had felt like her friend -- but she’d been lying, she’d been gulling her like all the rest of them, laughing at her. Even if she hadn’t been laughing when Carrie had left her.

And, worst of all, Sue hadn’t just been kissing girls. She’d been kissing Chris. Carrie didn’t know why that was the worst betrayal of all, but it was.

It was.

She had killed a man. Oh, Lord, she had killed a man.

The front door opened and closed.

“Momma?” she called.

Momma came thumping in, took in her state as she knelt at the altar. “Oh child, what has happened?”

“Momma, Momma,” Carrie cried. “I’ve sinned. I’ve sinned so bad.”

Momma knelt down next to her. “Then tell the Lord and we’ll pray together for him to forgive us. Once we’ve done that, we’ll do penance. We’ll pray for a sign. We’ll get down on our knees and ask for the Pentecostal Fire, and Jesus will cleanse all and bring his wrath upon the sinners.”

Carrie still couldn’t help but be afraid of this Lord of punishment and wrath, the way he mortified Momma’s flesh, the things he brought upon them and then asked them to love him.

But there was a comfort as well. She knew what Momma would ask of her, what Momma would tell her to do.

Momma would never lie to her. Momma would never tempt her with confusing sin.

Momma would never kiss Chris, nor side with her.

Carrie closed her eyes again, and prayed that the Lord would send her answers.

And maybe some sign that the wrath she had brought upon Billy’s head was justified.

* * *

There was a knock at the door. Chris groaned as she stretched and got up from the couch.

Visitors. Just what she needed at the moment. Probably fake people here with fake smiles to offer fake condolences, all the while congratulating themselves that even the bad bitch of the town could be taken down a few notches if a guy smacked her around a few times. Just what she needed.

It didn’t help that with the spotlight focus on her so much, she hadn’t been able to hook up with Sue since the Incident. Not that there was that burning need to lose herself anymore, but… She missed it more than she would have thought she would.

Not that it was going to last. Not that it had ever been going to last. Not with the way Sue felt about her, and the way she obviously felt…

She even- Ugh, she even hoped that Sue had managed to repair things with Carrie. Not that she’d seen Carrie in school since.

Knock-knock-knock. Louder this time, more impatient.

She went to a forward facing window and twitched the curtain, seeing two men in suits she didn’t recognise, looking completely out of place in this town. One of them was cradling a cardboard box. The other knocked on the door for the third time.

She ignored the sudden twisting in her stomach. Daddy’s instructions in this case were explicitly clear. “Who is it?” she called through the door.

“Is this Christine Hargenson?” came the response.

“Who wants to know?” she parried.

“We’re from the government, and we need to talk to you about some recent events.”

Some recent events, great. She ran to the phone and dialled Daddy’s office.

“Mrs Stephens here at Hargenson and Associates. How can I help you?”

“Can you get my father? Tell him there are some men from the government here and…”

“Now that’s just not polite,” came the voice of the government man as he stepped into the house through the now open door. “We’re just asking for your co-operation as a patriotic citizen.” There was a wom-wom-wom emanating from the box as his companion followed him.

The first man wasn’t big, but there was a glint in his eyes that held the hint of violence, and in the face of it, Chris’ instincts, the things that Billy had taught her, screamed at her to just give in; to submit.

She wasn’t broken. She wasn’t. “How did you get in?” she said, proud that her voice hardly shook.

“The door was open,” the man easily lied. His companion with the box put it down on a cabinet, shut the door and the two of them moved to hem her in. “Now why don’t you put that phone down and we can have a nice, polite conversation.”

She froze and he reached forward and took the phone off her, putting it back on the hook as her father’s tinny voice came over it.

Wom-wom-wom went the box.

“Isn’t that much more polite,” the man said. “Don’t you think so?” he asked his companion.

“Sure,” his companion said, not even pretending to smile.

“Now, we’ve heard all about Billy’s death. The thing is, the injuries on his body don’t match the story you’ve been telling the police, so we’re here to fill a few details in.”

Wom-wom-wom.

She swallowed. “Daddy always told me never to talk to the police without a lawyer present.”

The man laughed and looked to his stone faced companion. “You don’t need to worry about any of that. After all, the only people who need to worry are those with something to hide, and that’s not you, is it?”

That wasn’t what Daddy thought at all, and she opened her mouth to speak. His companion brought his fist down, hard, on the telephone table and she couldn’t help jumping and screaming a little.

The man and his companion both looked to the box. Wom-wom-wom, steady and unchanged. They looked at each other and something passed between them.

“Let’s go through your story again, shall we? Politely?” The implicit threat of violence simmered higher in his eyes, and she shivered.

This, at least, was a story she knew how to tell. “I don’t know what else to tell you. I met my boyfriend Billy behind the bleachers. I said I was going to tell the Sheriff that he’d been smacking me around and he went crazy. Said he’d kill me before he let me do that. Beat me up so bad I could hardly move and then while he was having a cigarette, deciding how exactly he wanted to do me in, I managed to crawl to the machinery that controls the bleachers and activate it, crushing him.” She managed to somehow look him in the eyes. “I’m not sorry. I couldn’t run faster than him, not like that, and he’d promised to kill me. It was self-defence, and not a court around here is going to say otherwise.”

Wom-wom-wom.

The man produced some papers from his pocket. “The thing is that the body tells a different story. According to the coroner, the mangling from the machinery occurred post mortem, that the actual cause of death involved an unidentified force applied across Billy’s whole body. So, let’s start this again. What actually happened?”

Chris stared at him. “What do you want me to tell you about an unidentified force? What even would that be?”

He reached towards her, gripping her arm hard enough to bruise, hard enough for her to flash back to Billy, hard enough to make her want to whimper and just give in. “Oh, I think you know. I think you can tell me. And I know you think you know how bad things can get, but let me tell you, things can get a hell of a lot worse.”

Wom-wom-wom.

Another look at the box, and then Stone Face stepped forwards and spoke for the first time. “A hell of a lot worse,” he repeated.

Chris couldn’t help shivering at the note of eagerness in his voice, hated the fact that the man could feel that through his grip. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Who was there with you?” Stone Face growled, leaning in close to her. “Who snapped that little fucker’s body like he was a fucking doll?”

She shrieked and tried to jerk away, but didn’t manage to get anywhere. They know, they know, they know. “I don’t know what you mean!”

The man leaned back a little, in contrast to Stone Face, dragging her a little bit close to him as he did so. “Look, Christine, you better start co-operating, otherwise my friend here will take charge, and, trust me, you don’t-“

The front door slammed open and Daddy stormed in, followed by Sheriff Doyle. “What the hell is going on here?” Daddy demanded. “What do you think you’re doing, talking to my daughter without representation. She’s a minor!”

Wom-wom-wom.

For a moment, there was a coiled violence in the air, where Chris honestly wasn’t sure if the men were going to draw weapons. From the way the Sheriff’s hand went to his side, neither was he. But then the man smiled, as charming as you like, and said, “It’s all a misunderstanding. We were just here to talk to Christine here about Billy’s death. It’s become of federal interest, you understand. And Christine was kind enough to help us.”

“No, I didn’t,” Christine said shakily. “You just pushed your way in here, and…”

The man turned his smile on her. “Oh, I think you’ve been very helpful indeed,” he said in a way that chilled her blood.

They knew. She didn’t know how, but they knew.

“Who are you?” Daddy asked. “I want to see some ID off you. And you better have a warrant for entering my house uninvited.”

“Of course,” the man said, showing Daddy his ID. Stone Face did the same. “I think you’ll find our actions were completely legitimate.” 

Daddy scoffed. “I very much doubt that. And now, if you don’t mind, I’d like you to leave my property, and I’ll be talking with Judge Stillons to see if I can get a restraining order based on this nonsense.”

“You can’t stop the government,” the man said. “You can’t stop the government. But, very well. Christine — I’ll see you again.” Stone Face picked up the cardboard box — wom-wom-wom — and then they were out of the door.

Daddy watched them leave with a hard gaze, all the way until they started the car and drove away. “Sheriff,” he said. “I’d take it as a personal favour if you keep a car outside tonight, just in case they come back.”

Doyle chewed his moustache and blew it out. “I’ll see what I can do. But the thing with Judge Stillons may not go the way you want. Those DSI boys can bring in federal courts who’ll just ignore him.”

“I’m well aware.” Daddy said dryly. “I’m just going to make it as difficult for them as I can. Coming into my house, threatening my daughter like that. You saw that, didn’t you?”

“I surely did. Don’t know how much they’ll care, though. The DSI has a rep for being a bunch of cowboys at the best of times. If they’ve taken an interest in your daughter…”

“I’ll see what string I can pull,” Daddy said before turning to Chris and asking gently, “Are you alright?”

There was a part of her that wanted to burst into tears and bury herself in Daddy’s arms, like she had when she was a child. But there was a far larger part of her that wanted to cling onto any scraps of dignity that she could, who just nodded. “I’m fine.”

He pursed his lips. “Thanks, Sheriff. Doubtless I’ll be seeing you tomorrow.”

The Sheriff left and Daddy retired to his study, where he was soon barking at his phone. She waited for him to put the coffee pot on, then picked up the extension in her room and dialled Sue, as quickly as she could.

She asked for Sue when her mother picked up, then as soon as she did, she burst out with, “You have to get Carrie and get out of town, disappear. There’s some feds here, from somewhere called the DSI. They came to my house and asked questions about how Billy died. They know that I wasn’t alone. They-“ she took a breath, “They hurt me and the only reason they stopped was because Daddy came home with the sheriff and threatened them. You need to get out.”

Sue took a long moment to reply. “What?”

“There’s government people who want Carrie, who I think know about people like her.” She couldn’t keep her voice calm, unaffected. These people were dangerous. She had to make Sue understand it. “You really think that her mother will be able to stop people like them? Your parents, for that matter? They’ve got guns, Sue. You need to get out. You need to keep safe. Carrie too.”

She had, after all, saved Chris’ life, despite everything Chris had done to her.

“You’re sure?”

“I’m really sure. They hurt me, right here in my house.” Her voice went high just remembering that. “I think they would have drawn their guns if the Sheriff hadn’t been here. I’ve worked with Daddy. I know the kind of police who’ll act within the rules. This wasn’t them.”

“Okay,” Sue said. “I can probably get out of town for a few days. I’ll try to get Carrie as well.” She still sounded like she didn’t quite believe Chris, but it was good enough. Good enough for now. “Look after yourself too, okay?” she added softly.

“Yeah, yeah,” Chris said, the tension leaving her with a rush. “Don’t worry about me. Daddy’s got Sheriff Doyle to leave a car outside all night. You look after yourself.”

“God,” Sue said, as if that were the last straw. “Okay, goodbye.”

Chris hung the phone up, and just leaned against the wall. Outside, she heard a car start up.

Oh god. What if they’d tapped the phone? What if they’d heard everything she just said? She leapt to the window and watched a car she didn’t recognise pull away and drive towards town.

Towards Sue.

Fuck.

* * *

Sue put the phone down and stared at it. Chris had sounded like some kind of raving conspiracy loon. On the other hand, it wasn’t as though she would have believed that someone — Carrie — would be able to pick things up with her mind a few short months ago.

And it was all too easy to imagine the government finding a use for that kind of talent. Chris had definitely seemed convinced enough when she spoke to her.

She couldn’t help worrying about Chris as well. Would even her father and the sheriff be able to keep her safe?

They’d hurt her too. Bastards.

God. Ducking out on a school night — with one of their cars no less — her parents were not going to be pleased.

She scampered upstairs, stuffed her gym bag with clothes and grabbed all the money she could find in short order. She crept back downstairs and stowed the bag under the staircase before heading into the kitchen where her mother was preparing dinner.

“Hi, Mom,” she said brightly. “Can I borrow the car? I need to go get an assignment from someone across town.”

Mom looked over at her with a fond smile. “Of course. Just make sure that you’re back in less than an hour.”

“Promise,” she said brightly, before wincing internally at the completely fake voice she’d just used. But her mother didn’t seem to notice, just kept chopping.

Because, of course, she trusted Sue, who never did anything wrong. God, she was going to Hell for this.

“Oh,” Mum said, just before she left the kitchen. She froze, certain that she’d been found out. “Do you think you could fill the car up with gas while you’re out? Take some money from my purse.”

“Sure!” Sue said, trying to sound as though she wasn’t about to fall over with relief. She walked over to her mother’s purse and fished out her wallet. She took a twenty, then guiltily took the rest as well.

Hell. She was definitely going to Hell.

The drive over to Carrie’s house was nice and quiet, with relatively few cars around. She pulled up in front of the bungalow, and knocked at the door. She hoped Carrie would answer. She hoped Carrie was alright. She hadn’t seen her since that day. She didn’t think she’d even been to school.

A large, heavy-set woman with deep frown lines carved across her face answered the door. “No door sales,” she said, pointing to a sign that said the same thing.

“I’m here to speak to Carrie?” Sue tried.

The scowl on the woman’s face immediately became more pronounced. “Why? To try and drag her back into the sea of iniquity? I see the sin written upon you,” she said, pointing at Sue’s chest, and Sue couldn’t help flinching at the accusation. “You will not lead my daughter down the same path! Oh, daughter of Eve, love of serpents, I see you! I see you!” Her lips came up in a snarl, and drool started to come from her mouth.

“Carrie!” Sue shouted, panicking a little at this apparition.

“You will not lay a finger upon a hair of her head! She has repented of her sin and she does not need to hear your lies, nor see your temptations. Away! Get away from my step, foul seducer.” The woman started brushing her away and Sue started backing up, not sure what else she could do.

“Carrie,” she called more weakly, as she backed towards the curb.

Suddenly Carrie’s face appeared at the entrance to her house, face pale, more drawn than she remembered. What had her mother done to her? Or was it — had she decided that she was sinful because of what Sue had dragged her into?

If Chris was right, she was certainly in danger because of it.

“Go away, Sue,” Carrie said sadly. “I don’t want to see you.”

Well I want to see you, was Sue’s immediate thought. She hadn’t realised how much she’d missed seeing Carrie every day until, well.

Until she’d lost her.

But she did want to see her, talk with her again. She really did. It was the best part of her day.

Carrie’s eyes widened and she wavered for a minute in the doorway. Her mother caught sight of this and turned back towards her. “No, Carrie! Back! Do not let yourself be pulled back into this fallen world just when you’ve won free of it.” Her voice softened slightly. “Remember that Jesus forgives, if the penitence is sincere and the penance real. Do you really want to have to start praying again?”

Carrie hesitated, looking between the two of them.

“I think we might be able to offer a third alternative,” a man said as he got out of a car that had just pulled up to the curb. From the other side, a stone faced man got out, carrying a cardboard box which he placed on the hood of the car.

Wom-wom-wom.

* * *

Carrie had been torn between the surety of Momma’s faith — knowing the truth, for all the fear — and Sue, whose kind softness masked lies. She seemed sincere, but could Carrie trust her, really?

But these men, she didn’t like them, not one bit. And that noise, the wom-wom-wom… It felt like someone very faintly running their nails down a blackboard, like a faint ache in her teeth.

“Carrie? Sue?” the man said. “We need to talk with you. Just a quick interview, then we’ll let you go on your way.”

“No,” Sue said, face white, scared. “No. You’re the men who went to visit Chris. You hurt her.”

Why do you still care about Chris, part of Carrie cried. But she knew, of course she did. Chris had stayed with her, when Carrie had run away.

Why wouldn’t Sue value her more?

But why was Sue here then, the other part whispered. Why was she here rather than looking after Chris?

“That was just a misunderstanding,” the man said easily, stepping calmly towards Carrie as the other man moved implacably towards Sue. “We’re just here to investigate the death of Billy Nolan, to find out what really happened. And we’ve received information to suggest you two can help us.”

Plague-red-blood-body flashed through her mind and her mind instinctively reached out.

Weeee-weeee-weeee, screeched the device, sending nails of pain through her head. Carrie staggered in the doorway. The two men glanced at each other and smiled before moving towards them again.

“Minions of Mammon, of Leviathan, marked by the Beast, stay away from my daughter!” shouted Momma, advancing of the man, blocking his progress towards her. Sue stood there, frozen, before slowly backing away from the expressionless man coming towards her..

“Ma’am, stand back,” the man said to Momma. He opened his jacket to reveal his gun, like it was a badge. “You are interfering with the duties of a federal officer and I am authorised to use lethal violence in my own defence.”

Momma screamed incoherent and dived for him. His eyes widened for a moment, before she crashed into him and took them both to the ground. He quickly flipped them and, taking out his gun, hit her in the head with butt.

Momma!

WEEeee-WEEeee- WEEee! 

Carrie could hardly see.

“Crazy bitch,” he panted, and shot his companion an irritated look. “You could have helped!”

“Me? You looked like you were having too much fun.”

The man drew his foot back, taking bead on Momma’s groaning form. “Too!” Kick. “Much!” Kick. “F-“

Momma!

WEEEEE-WEEEEE-WEEEEE!

The man was suddenly against the car, groaning instead of above mother. The pain was so intense, Carrie was surprised that the step beneath her head — when had she fallen over — wasn’t covered in blood. There was something else she should do, something else she should think about, but it hurt so much…

* * *

Chris could see the stone faced agent, illuminated by the lights from the White house, pointing a gun at Carrie as she drove up, lights off.

For a moment, it was like she was looking at Billy again, knowing that if she so much as irritated him, he'd hurt her until he felt like stopping.

Fuck that, she snarled as she hit the accelerator, felt her father's car impact his body, sending it flying into the side of the house like a rag doll.

Fuck. That.

* * *

Sue couldn't breathe, couldn't believe this was happening again. Big violent men hurting people all around her.

She couldn't... she couldn't...

A car came out of nowhere, hitting one of the agents.

But there was still one left, and there was nothing she could do.

But Carrie could, if that infernal box was stopped. And somehow, that gave her the strength to move, racing over it as the remaining man started to point his gun at Chris.

Inside was a collection of spinning metal, letting out an unearthly sound.

WEEEEE-WEEEEE-WEEEEE!

She shoved it onto the ground, then stamped on it until it stopped.

* * *

In the sudden silence Carrie could think again.

And then the man in front of her was no more.

“Momma, Momma, are you alright?” Carrie asked as she staggered over to her.

Momma pushed herself up into a sitting position, spitting out some blood. “Such are the wages of sin,” she said grimly. She offered her hand to Carrie. “Help me up, and we’ll pray to Jesus for guidance.”

“I hate to interrupt,” Chris said, getting out of the car that had hit the man. “But I really doubt that those guys were the only ones from the DSI in town. And even if they were, they won’t be for long. We need to go. Carrie, they’re after you. You really need to go.”

“The Lord will protect his sheep,” Momma said. “Listen not to these false idols.”

She looked between all three of them. Momma with her stern certitude, buckled only slightly by the bruising already swelling one side of her face, Sue, eyes wide, worried; worry for herself, worry for her parents, but above all worry for Carrie, and Chris. Chris who had tormented her, who she had hated, Chris who looked improbably, impossibly like she cared about what happened to Carrie.

Chris who had just killed a man for Carrie, on purpose even.

She knew what she had to do.

“I’m sorry, Momma. These men will keep on coming as long as I’m here. I have to go. I’m sorry, Momma. I’m so sorry.”

Momma looked away. “You shall find no comfort in the company of sinners,” she said.

But Carrie would. She was beginning to think she really would.

“Well,” Chris said brightly, shattering the moment. “I think it’s safe to say we can’t use any of the cars here. If they’re not looking for cars belonging to our families, they soon will be. Luckily, I know another one we can borrow.”

* * *

The sunlight was shining in Sue’s eyes as she awoke from slumber. Carrie was curled up in her lap, gently snoring. In the front of the Chevy that used to belong to Billy, Chris had her hair tucked back in a band, driving onwards ever onwards as the sun dawned. 

Sue stretched and winced as her back clicked. Sleeping like this had apparently not agreed with her.

“How are you doing?” Chris asked, having apparently noticed the movement.

“Still a little numb. I can’t really believe that last night happened.”

Chris’ mouth pursed before she shook her head. “Well,” she said with forced cheeriness. “I was never really all that enamoured with Daddy’s plan for my life. Who needs a practically guaranteed good income anyway?”

Sue swallowed. “Do you have any idea about what we’re going to do?”

“Not a clue,” Chris said. “Exciting, isn’t it?”

Old Sue would probably have disagreed vehemently. But Old Sue would have frozen; would never have dived forward to break the jammer. Old Sue would have let Chris be gunned down.

Maybe Old Sue didn’t know what the hell she’d been talking about.

“I don’t know,” Sue said honestly. “I guess I’ll find out.”

“Speaking of,” Chris said. “Are you actually going to make it official between the two of you?”

It took her a moment to figure out what Chris was referring to, then she blushed. “Me and Carrie? I… I don’t know that she even likes girls, let alone me.”

Chris rolled her eyes. “Really? It’s clear that you’re both gone for each other.” She made a face. “It’s sickening, really.”

Sue let herself imagine what it might be like kissing Carrie, and abruptly her face felt like it was on fire. She covered her face with her hands. “Shut up,” she said in a muffled tone of voice. “She does not feel that way about me.”

“You’d want to kiss me?” Carrie’s voice inquired shyly and she peeked through her fingers to see Carrie looking up at her.

“Sorry,” she apologised, shrinking back away from her. “I’d never… You know I’d never do anything do anything you didn’t want me to.”

“But what if I did want you to?” Carrie asked.

A spark of hope ignited inside of her. “Really?”

Carrie nodded, and Sue bent down slowly, giving Carrie plenty of time to change her mind, before pressing a gentle kiss to Carrie’s lips.

And, oh, it was everything that she might have imagined. Nothing like the heat and passion of kissing Chris, of course, but warm and comforting and like being wrapped in a blanket by your best friend. Clumsy and awkward, maybe, but that was due to the angle and the lack of practice, and those things could, would, change. When Sue opened her eyes, she found that Carrie had very much the same smile that was painting Sue’s lips.

When she glanced up, she saw a hint of wistfulness and bitterness on Chris’ face in the mirror, quickly smoothed over. “Congratulations,” she said dryly.

And Sue realised with a lurch of loss what Chris might be feeling. “But I don’t want to stop kissing you either,” she said before she could think twice.

Chris raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think that’s really an option,” she said cynically. “Is it?” she added, apparently unable to help making it a hopeful little question.

“You want to kiss both Chris and me?” Carrie asked, sounding a little confused.

“I- I- Not the same way, but yes?”

Carrie’s brow furrowed. “Okay?” she said, not sounding particularly certain.

Sue’s insides squirmed. “You don’t have to… I don’t want to put anything on you. This is my mess to sort out.” She took a breath. “It’s my mess to sort out,” she repeated more certainly.

“No,” Carrie said. “I mean, it’s okay. For now. And if it isn’t okay in the future, I’ll tell you.”

Chris whistled. “Okay, I can see why Sue likes you.” Carrie glared at her and the car radio turned on. “For real,” Chris said. “Seriously.”

Carrie stared at her for a moment longer, less hostile and more searching, before laying back down on Sue’s lap and closing her eyes. “Fine,” she murmured.

“Fine?” Chris said, cocky grin on her face. “More than fine I’d say. Sounds like a competition to me.”

Sue rolled her eyes and reached forward with one foot, prodding Chris with her shoe, whilst holding Carrie tight.

The three of them drove into the morning light, leaving Chamberlain behind. Together.


End file.
